Basketball Rules, Terminology, and Referee Signals

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering rules, positions, court terminology, and official FIBA referee signals for basketball.

Point Guard (1)

The best ball handler and passer on the team.

Shooting Guard (2)

The best outside shooter on the team.

Small Forward (3)

A player who is good at shooting, rebounding, and driving to the basket.

Power Forward (4)

The best rebounder, typically a very strong defensive player.

Center (5)

Typically the biggest player on the team who stays close to the basket and is a good rebounder.

Pivot Foot

The foot with which a player in possession of the ball must maintain contact with the floor, unless shooting, passing, or dribbling.

Man to Man Defense

A defensive strategy where each player is assigned a specific person to guard.

Zone Defense

A defensive strategy where players are assigned a specified area on the court to guard.

Assist

A pass by an offensive player to a teammate that leads directly to a score.

Baseline

The end line of the basketball court.

Blocking Out

A position used by a defensive player under the backboard to prevent an offensive player from achieving good rebounding position.

Charging

Personal contact against the body of an opponent by a player with the ball.

Cut

A quick offensive move by a player trying to get free for a pass.

Denial Defense

An aggressive individual defense where the defensive player works hard to keep the offensive player from receiving a pass.

Double Dribble

An infraction occurring when a player dribbles, stops and picks up the ball and starts to dribble again, or dribbles with two hands simultaneously.

Dribble

The process of bringing the ball down the floor or moving the ball from place to place using the finger pads to tap the ball.

Drive

An aggressive move toward the basket by a player with the ball.

Fake (Feint)

Using a deceptive move with the ball to pull the defensive player out of position.

Rebound

When a shot bounces off the backboard or basket and is pulled down by a player.

Steal

When a defensive player takes the ball from the offensive team.

Free Throw

The privilege given to a player to score one, two, or three points by an unhindered throw for a goal from within the free throw circle and behind the free throw line.

Lay-up

A shot where a player releases the ball close to the basket while continuing to run off one foot.

Violation

An infraction of the rules resulting in a throw-in from out of bounds for the opponents.

Game Clock and Scoring Signals

Official FIBA referee hand gestures used to stop/start the clock and signal 1, 2, or 3 points scored.

Substitution, Time-Out, and Informative Signals

Referee signals used for player substitutions, beckoning-in, charged/media time-outs, canceling play, visible count, shot clock reset, and jump ball situations.

Referee Violation Signals

Official hand signals indicating violations such as travelling, double dribbling, carrying, 3/5/8 seconds, shot clock violations, backcourt return, and goaltending.

Player Number and Basic Foul Signals

Gestures used by officials to report player numbers to the scorer table and call fouls like holding, blocking, pushing, and handchecking.

Contact Foul Signals

Signals indicating illegal use of hands, charging with the ball, illegal contact to the hand, hooking, illegal cylinder, elbow swinging, head hits, and team control fouls.

Special Fouls and Instant Replay Signals

Hand gestures for double fouls, technical fouls, flagrant fouls, disqualifying fouls, faking a foul, delay of game, and IRS review/head coach's challenge.

Foul Penalty and Free Throw Administration Signals

Signals used by active and passive referees to communicate foul penalties and administer 1, 2, or 3 free throws.