Basketball singles court

Abstract

A basketball court with narrower sidelines (11) yet abiding by the conventional rules of basketball as well as the other boundaries including rim height ten feet, foul line (16) at fifteen feet from the basket and half court line (12). The new boundary resembles the lines for singles matches (21) on a tennis court.

Description

BACKGROUND

Prior Art

No prior art exists for this court size but there are standard size basketball courts for different levels of competition. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has court dimensions of ninety four feet length by a width of fifty feet. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) a slightly smaller dimension of ninety one point eighty six feet length by forty nine point twenty one feet. The Women National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) dimensions are the same as National Basketball Association. Standard U.S. High School court size is eighty four feet length by fifty feet width. The dimensions for U.S. Junior School are seventy four foot length by forty two foot width. On all of these levels the rim height is the same at ten feet about the ground. There are other dimensions which include the Center Circle which is used in the tip off to start a game or in what is called a “jump ball” if called by a referee near the Center Circle. The Center Circle is exactly in the center of the court halfway between the width and length of the court. There is also a Three point line beyond which a team and player is given three points instead of the regular two points for a successful shot. The distance for the NBA is twenty two feet. For the FIBA and WNBA the distance is twenty one point sixty five feet. For the NCAA the distance is twenty point seventy five feet and for high school, nineteen point seventy five feet. The Three point line is a semi circle of the different distances on each end of the court. The foul line where a player shoots a “free throw” is a standard fifteen feet for all levels of play except for the FIBA which is fifteen point zero nine feet.

The three second lane is sixteen feet for the NBA and WNBA, sixteen point zero eight feet for the FIBA and twelve feet for both the NCAA as well as high school as well as junior high school.

All of these dimensions have been developed to suit the play of a five on five game but are not ideal for a one on one game. They are not ideal also for a two on two, three on three or four on four game. Consequently most games which do not involve five on five or ten players are usually played using only half the court where both sides use the same basket.

Playing a full court one on one game is not a game players enjoy since the boundaries offer too much space for the defensive player to cover. Much like tennis which is also played on a court, the dimensions of the court are narrowed offering the offensive server more of a challenge and the defensive player less of an area to cover for returning the serve. The same principal of a narrower court for singles tennis as oppose to doubles also applies to singles basketball. The narrower court also is more realistic in that the ballhandler in a conventional five on five game is always restricted due to the fact that there are many other players on the court and it usually doesn't make sense to dribble into an area where two people can cover the offensive player. Dribblers generally move to areas where there are openings or where other players screen. The limited space is similar to narrowing the width of the court in the basketball singles game. The narrower court also makes for a better full court two on two, three on three and four on four game.

SUMMARY

By applying the same principal of a narrower court like in tennis for a singles match, narrowing a basketball court width makes for an enjoyable and challenging full court game of basketball with less than the conventional five on five game.

ADVANTAGES

The narrower court restricts the offensive players options and is more like a conventional five on five game in that the space to evade the defensive player is more limited. Likewise it is easier to play defense against the offensive player like a tennis player in a singles match defending a narrower court.

Playing full court one on one is a more vigorous workout which can improve a players skills. Full court basketball involves much more running than half court basketball. We should for health benefits encourage more full court play.

DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS

11 singles side line
12 half court line
13 conventional sideline
14 basket
15 end line
16 foul line
17 lane line
18 center circle
21 singles match boundary
22 doubles match boundary

Claims

a. The boundaries of a narrower basketball court with all other dimensions being the same as a conventional court.

b. The decision to make a tennis court narrower has resulted in a bifurcation of the of the game into two different categories of tennis, single and doubles, played throughout the world in millions of formal and informal matches. A basketball court using the same logic could make a narrower court game equally as challenging and popular.

c. The game provides a greater challenge in that the players are running up and down the court giving them a better workout as a form of exercise.

d. The full court format also challenges the players basketball skill and can translate into a learning activity which help improve performance especially ball handling skills.

e. The full court narrower court increases the time spent running during the game improving the players endurance and stamina.

f. The narrower court also makes it more challenging and enjoyable for playing a full court two on two game.

g. The narrower court makes it more challenging and enjoyable for playing a full court three on three game.

h. The narrower court makes it more challenging and enjoyable for playing a full court four on four game.

i. The narrower court can be an incentive for people to exercise since merely jogging or running becomes boring to some people as compared to a game sport.

j. Though there are no physical restrictions on a full court game on a court with a standard with, and millions of games of one on one basketball are played every year rarely do players play full court but opt for a half court format.

j. The novelty of full court one on one on a narrower court is that it plays like a five on five game on a court with conventional boundaries.

k. Narrowing the boundaries is not obvious since millions of courts exists, the games advantages are numerous and adding the additional boundaries on a court is of little costs.

l. The boundaries can be as narrow as the width on the sides of the 3 second lane. Or within a foot of the conventional court width. Or any dimension in between.

m. The game can also be played with a rule to restrict the offensive player from shooting the initial shot on a time down court within the lane or 3 second area. After an initial attempt subsequent shots can be shot from within the lane area.