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Court (basketball)

In basketball, the court refers to the playing surface/floor. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a hardwood, often maple, and highly polished. For outdoor courts, asphalt, blacktop, or similar materials are used. A basketball court is symetrical from all sides, halfcourt and the sidelines if folded in half, it would all look the same. The whole court is 94 feet long by 50 feet wide.

A diagram of a FIBA basketball court.
Enlarge
A diagram of a FIBA basketball court.

As you can see in the diagram above, both sides are the same. Here are some measurements of the court. The free throw lane is 12 feet wide and 15 feet long. The area from which you shoot your free throws, to the three-point line is 4 feet 9 inches long. The bottom block to the base line is 4 feet. The center circles diameter is 12 feet, which is where they have the jump ball to start the game. They have changed measurements like the three point arc twice in the history of basketball. Ever since adopting the trey, which is another name for the three point shot. In the 1979-1980 season the three-point arc was moved back to its original 23’ 9”, when the college range is 19’ 9”, and the international is 20’ 6”.


== Sources ==

http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-888.html

Last updated: 05-21-2005 10:55:43