BALONCESTO / BASKETBALL
SOME BASKETBALL VOCABULARY
- Shots and Passing
Players shoot for goal with a set shot if both feet are on the ground, or with a jump shot if the player is in mid-air. Other shots are the lay up (shooting, often off the backboard, while moving towards the basket) and the slam dunk (shooting straight down from above the basket).
| SLAM DUNK | JUMP SHOT | LAY UP | SET SHOT | |
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Passing can be done with a chest pass, a bounce pass or an overhead pass. More difficult passes are the no-look pass and the behind-the-back pass, though some coaches don't like these techniques because they can easily go wrong.
SEÑALES DEL ÁRBITRO / REFEREE SIGNS 
Deberás conocer específicamente para las siguientes sesiones aquéllas indicadas como: tanteo, faltas, violaciones (15: avance o pasos, 16: doble regate o pasos, 23: pie y 24: fuera de banda) y tiros libres.
TIROS LIBRES
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Vocabulary List
| Word | Example sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| assist | James won the MVP award with 28 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. | A pass to a teammate that leads directly to a goal |
| backboard | My shot came off the backboard and down through the hoop for a 3-point goal. | A board behind the basket, off which the ball may rebound |
| basket | In the early days, peach baskets were nailed to the walls and used as goals. | 1. A container used to hold or carry things 2. A net fixed on a hoop used as the goal |
| block | He stepped in front of our player to block his run, and the referee ruled it a foul. | To stop the movement of an opponent, or stop an opponent's pass or shot |
| bounce | Players must bounce the ball on the floor as they run. | To rebound after hitting a surface |
| bounce pass | The crowd cheered when Mario threw a perfect no-look bounce pass. | A pass that bounces off the floor before it reaches the receiver |
| chest pass | Michael threw a quick chest pass, ran forward, and received a bounce pass back. | A two-handed pass thrown from chest height |
| double-dribbling | Young players still learning the game often get fouled for double-dribbling. | Violation of dribbling the ball with two hands, or stopping and restarting the dribble |
| draft | Every team studies the players in the draft and decides which ones they'll try to recruit. | The annual process by which NBA teams select local or foreign players for their teams |
| dribble | He dribbled past two defenders and then shot for goal. | To bounce the ball repeatedly with one hand while running or walking |
| drive | Yao Ming is very difficult to stop when he drives to the basket. | A fast, strong dribble directly to the basket in an effort to score |
| exceed | A team that exceeds the time-limit on the shot clock loses possession of the ball. | To go beyond what is allowed |
| foul | Larry's already had four fouls, so if he commits another one he'll be out of the game. | A violation resulting from illegal contact with an opposing player |
| free throw | Rodney practises his free throws for an hour every day. | A free shot taken from the free throw line as the result of a foul |
| game clock | The coach called a time-out, and the game clock stopped while he talked to his players. | A scoreboard clock that shows the time remaining in each period of a game |
| guarding | Guarding is a man-on-man defensive tactic used to counter dangerous players. | Following an opponent to stop him from driving, shooting or passing easily |
| hoop | The ball has to go through the hoop from above to score a goal. | The round metal rim from which a basketball net is suspended |
| jump shot | A jump shot is much harder to block than a set shot. | A shot taken while a player is jumping through the air |
| lay up | The best players spend a lot of time working on skills to improve their lay ups. | A shot taken close to the basket that is usually banked off the backboard and into the basket |
| MVP | Michael was awarded MVP many times during his career. | "Most valuable player" award, given to the best player in a game |
| no-look pass | Crowds love the no-look pass, but coaches warn players not to use it just to show off. | A pass thrown without looking towards the receiver |
| overhead pass | An overhead pass can get the ball to a teammate who's behind some opponents. | A pass thrown from over the head, to clear a defender or for added power |
| overtime | We won the game by outscoring our opponents in overtime. | A five-minute extra period that is played when the game is tied after four quarters |
| personal foul | Younger players often get over-excited and too aggressive and commit many personal fouls. | A foul that involves illegal physical contact such as blocking, charging, elbowing or holding |
| possession | The team whose player commits a violation loses possession of the ball. | To be holding, or be in control of, the ball |
| rebound | A lot of goals are scored from rebounds after an opponent's shot misses. | Get control of a ball that has come off the rim or backboard after a failed shot attempt |
| referees | How many referees are usually on court during a game of basketball? | Officials who call violations and fouls, give penalties, signal field goals, and stop and start play |
| set shot | Practising set shots is important because they are used to score from free throws. | A shot taken with both feet on the floor in a set position |
| shoot | Players earn more points if they shoot from outside the three-point line. | To throw the ball in an attempt to score a goal |
| shot clock | Players have to keep an eye on the shot clock while they are playing. | A clock that shows the amount of time a team has left to take a shot |
| slam dunk | Matt drove towards the basket, jumped high into the air and scored with a huge slam dunk. | A high jump shot in which the ball is thrust down through the hoop |
| substitute | The substitutes sat on the bench and watched as their teammates on the court kept playing. | A player who comes into the game to replace a player on the court |
| technical foul | Their coach got a technical foul for arguing with a referee. | A foul called against a player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct such as arguing with a referee |
| three-point line | In the NBA, the three-point line is 23 feet 9 inches from the basket. | A semi-circle painted on the court, from outside of which a successful shot earns three points |
| time-out | Their coach indicated that he wanted a time-out, and the referee stopped the game. | Clock stoppage requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players |
| travelling | Even professional players sometimes get penalized for travelling. | The violation of moving with the ball without dribbling correctly |
| turnover | Good players protect the ball to stop opposition players from making a turnover. | A player loses the ball to a member of the other team without taking a shot |
| violation | Two of the most common violations in junior basketball are double-dribbling and travelling. | An infraction of the rules |