Systems and methods for playing basketball

Abstract

A method for playing basketball in a court having first and second sidelines and a basket located at each opposed end of the court on a long axis of the rectangle includes providing a reduced court with third and fourth sidelines within the first and second sidelines, and a central line (fifth line) along a length of the court, wherein the third and fourth sidelines define an area between 70% to 80% of a regular court; and selectively playing a first game type based on the central line with two classes of players with between 4 and 16 players or playing a second game type inside the third and fourth sidelines with 8 or less players.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for playing basketball in a court having first and second sidelines and a basket located at each opposed end of the court on a long axis of the rectangle, comprising:
 providing a reduced court with third and fourth sidelines within the first and second sidelines, and a central line (fifth line) along a length of the court, wherein the third and fourth sidelines define an area between 70% to 80% of a regular court; and   selectively playing a first game type based on the central line with two classes of players with between 4 and 16 players or playing a second game type inside the third and fourth sidelines with 8 or less players.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein playing the second game type comprises playing a co-ed game where males play one half of a full court and females play on the other half of the full court. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the game type classes are grouped by gender, age, disability, level of skill, and wherein players of similar ability play on one half of a full court. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising penalizing players as out of play when they land in the opposite side of the court. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising penalizing players as a turnover if a player goes over the center line to steal a pass, block a shot, get a rebound or shoot. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising playing as few as four and as many as sixteen players can play in a game. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising grouping players based on a player's weak hand, wherein players having the same weak hand type play on the same side of the full court. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising grouping players based on player's weak hand, wherein players are on a side of the court opposite their strong hand. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a player retrieves a rebound or loose ball even if it bounces into the opposite court or if a defensive player knocks a ball into the opposite side of the full court. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising grouping players based on player's weak hand, wherein the players cross a half court line into a weak hand side of the court. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising grouping players based on player's weak hand, and for half court weak hand games, the players take the ball behind a foul line and cannot begin an offense play until the players are in their weak hand section of the court. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second game type classes in a full court one on one game, comprising taking an initial shot within the area where an offensive player gets the player's own rebound. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein playing the second game type comprises allowing an offensive player to shoot in a three second area on an initial offensive shot down court if the offensive player beats a defensive player over half court. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein playing the second game type comprises suspending the lane rule for a two on two to four on four game. 
     
     
         15 . A method of playing a basketball game, comprising:
 providing two opposing teams, each having from one to four players, respectively, on a substantially narrowed rectangular basketball court, the court having a basket located at each opposed end of the court on a long axis of the rectangle, wherein boundaries of the court are narrowed on a short axis of the rectangle to substantially between 70% and 80% of a full court short axis; and   playing the basketball game.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the boundaries of the court are substantially narrowed on a short axis of the rectangle by at least a foot of a conventional court width, by a width of a side of a 3 second lane. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising providing a center line parallel to the long axis to split the court into two halves and positioning two groups, each with different abilities on one half of the court. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the width of the side of the 3 point line is about 22 feet, 21.75 feet, 21.65, or 19.75 feet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the basketball game is played with a rule to restrict an offensive player form shooting an initial shot on a play within a 3 second lane area or within a 3 point area. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the long axis of the rectangle of the court is about 94 feet and the short axis of the rectangle of the court is about 44 feet to about 49 feet, or the long axis of the rectangle of the court is about 91.86 feet and the short axis of the rectangle of the court is about 43.30 feet to about 48.21 feet, or the long axis of the rectangle of the court is about 84 feet and the short axis of the rectangle of the court is about 43.50 feet to about 49 feet, or the long axis of the rectangle of the court is about 74 feet and the short axis of the rectangle of the court is about 39.50 feet to about 41 feet.