Jump ball

Jump ball
The jump ball that starts the game, known as the opening tip, takes place at center court.

A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. It is similar to a face-off in ice hockey or ball-up in Australian rules football. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after it is tossed up into the air in between them by an official.

In the NBA, a jump ball occurs at the start of the game (called the opening tip), the start of any extra period, to settle special situations where penalties cancel out and neither team is previously entitled to the ball, and to settle any held balls. Held balls occur when two opposing players both lay equal claim to the ball, and after trying to wrestle it from each other, end up in a stalemate. A jump ball may also be called if there are different calls by two or more referees.

However, most competitions other than the NBA (entire game) and the UAAP (in the final two minutes of a game and overtime in UAAP only) use the alternating possession rule to settle all jump ball situations after the opening tip. This uses a possession arrow on the scorekeeper's table. Whenever such a jump ball situation occurs, the team whose basket that the possession arrow is currently pointing to gets the ball. The arrow then swaps to point to the other team. At the start of the game, the arrow points to the team that lost the opening tip.

The alternating possession arrow rule went into effect in college basketball in 1981. Ever since, it has been controversial. Supporters of the possession arrow believe that jump balls give the team with taller players and better leapers an unfair advantage over the other, plus the possession arrow (especially in the NCAA Tournament) gives another element of strategy. But those who oppose the possession arrow believe that it has frequently undone a trailing team's defensive effort because it is the other team's turn to get the ball.

The International Basketball Federation, with recommendation by NCAA Men's Supervisor of Officials Hank Nichols, on the FIBA World Technical Commission at the time, adopted the alternating possession rule in 2003, with a major difference. In overtime periods, play begins with the arrow. In other organizations, another jump ball is conducted.

FIBA mandated that the Union of European Basketball Leagues (ULEB), the conductor of the Euroleague and ULEB Cup, adopt the FIBA rule in 2005 as part of FIBA sanctioning the Euroleague effective the 2005-06 season. Previously, the ULEB used the NBA jump ball rules.

See also

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • jump ball — jump ,ball noun count in basketball, an occasion when the ball is thrown straight up so that one player from each team can jump for it …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • jump ball — n the act of throwing the ball up in a game of ↑basketball, so that one player from each team can try to gain control of it …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • jump ball — jump′ ball n. spo a basketball tossed into the air above and between two opposing players by the referee in putting the ball into play • Etymology: 1920–25 …   From formal English to slang

  • jump ball — ☆ jump ball n. Basketball a ball tossed by the referee between two opposing players who must tip it to a teammate, as in beginning play …   English World dictionary

  • jump ball — noun (basketball) the way play begins or resumes when possession is disputed; an official tosses the ball up between two players who jump in an effort to tap it to a teammate • Topics: ↑basketball, ↑basketball game, ↑hoops • Hypernyms: ↑beginning …   Useful english dictionary

  • jump ball — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms jump ball : singular jump ball plural jump balls in basketball, an occasion when the ball is thrown straight up so that one player from each team can jump for it …   English dictionary

  • jump ball — noun a) A method used to begin or resume play in basketball. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after it is tossed up into the air in between them by an official. After any dead ball, play shall be resumed by a jump ball, a… …   Wiktionary

  • jump ball — {n.} The starting of play in basketball by tossing the ball into the air between two opposing players, each of whom jumps and tries to hit the ball to a member of his own team. * /Two players held onto the ball at the same time and the referee… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • jump ball — {n.} The starting of play in basketball by tossing the ball into the air between two opposing players, each of whom jumps and tries to hit the ball to a member of his own team. * /Two players held onto the ball at the same time and the referee… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • jump\ ball — noun the starting of play in basketball by tossing the ball into the air between two opposing players, each of whom jumps and tries to hit the ball to a member of his own team. Two players held onto the ball at the same time and the referee… …   Словарь американских идиом

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