Understanding how it works and How Many Periods In Basketball are, is the most intriguing question among sports enthusiasts.

The period of a basketball depends upon the type of tournament played.  So, if you are eager to explore more about it, you have landed at the right platform. In this post, we will do the same.

Basic Rules of Basketball

Basketball is a team sport that is played between two players and each team tries to score more by shooting a ball through the hoop hung 10 feet above the ground. The floor of the basketball game must be rectangular which is called a court. The court is divided into two parts and at the end of each section, a hoopbasket is elevated to hit the ball into that.

Some basic terms used in the basketball game

• Hoopbasket:   The players have to hit the ball to fall into the basket which is in the hoop which is termed as hoopbasket.

• Dribble:  When the ball is bounced, beyond the midline of the court, the player have to dribble the ball within 10 seconds. If failed to do so, the defense team will be awarded the ball. After that, the offensive team has no ball possession in the area behind the midcourt line.

• Free Throws:  In case, the player has any foul during the ball shoot, they will be allowed to shoot the ball freely, without any obstacles.

• Jump Ball:   At the beginning of the basketball. The ball is thrown into the air and the players try to pick it to throw in their team which is called tip-off.

The ball is thrown toward the basket by each team through passing or dribbling and the team that has the possession of the ball is called the offense while the team without the ball is called the defense team. 

How many Periods in a Basketball

Understanding basketball periods might be daunting if you are new to the game. World basketball has been divided into various categories like NBA, NCAA (for men and women), and college basketball and each has different periods of the game.  The period of basketball depends upon the different players and conditions of the game and the number of periods varies.

• NBA

In NBA games, periods are also called quarters and the game is divided into four periods or quarters each having 12 minutes duration. The players when finished the first and third periods, in the game, they are allowed to take a quick two-and-a-half or three-and-a-half half-minute break. The length of the break depends on the broadcast of the game, whether it is broadcast on national television or not. 

• NCAA Men’s

When it comes to knowing How Many Periods are In College Basketball, the game is played in just two periods unlike in NBA games in 4 periods. In this format of basketball, players require enough endurance as there are very few rests in between the periods.  Usually, players are allowed to rest for only 15 minutes after a 20-minute game session.

• NCAA Women’s

The rules for Basketball Periods vary for women’s basketball tournaments as they have different levels of stamina and endurance, unlike men.  In 2015-16, the periods for women were specified and fixed to four periods each having a ten-minute duration. Overtime periods are just 5 minutes in women’s basketball.

• High School Basketball

Similar to women’s basketball, High School basketball also consists of 4 periods each having 8 minutes duration. Therefore players have to finish the game in 32 minutes and a few minutes of rest are allowed in between.