Basketball Scorekeeping

SCOREBOOKS: 

The scorebooks are official records of the game; therefore, they need to be clear and accurate. Please see below for guidance on scorebooks, which is info your parent volunteer needs to have. This is an important job.

1. See the table on Page 3 of the attached rules to determine how long each half is in your game. Baskets made need to be marked under the appropriate half of the game in the scorebook, next to the appropriate player. 

NVJCYO Basketball Rules Grades 3 - 8 

2.  Here is an online video tutorial on basketball scorebooks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pl9djkN3ic

GENERAL: 

Note that we typically do not do ALL of the items in this video, but at a minimum we should have the following completed for each game:

• Header at top of each page (coach, team, date, gym)

• Players listed with names and jersey #s (sequential order by jersey # is super helpful for the parent volunteer)

• All points for each player marked as described above - see minute 5:40 in the above video for a visual of this scoring

• A running score at top of each team's scoring page - see video above

• All fouls for each player marked (individually, next to their names in the appropriate foul boxes) - players can "foul out" of the game

• A tally of each team's fouls per half - note that after a team has accumulated 10 fouls in a half, bonus foul shots are applicable.

• A tally of the score at end of each half and at end of the game (marked in upper section of page)

• A tally of points for each player at the end (far right of page) at end of each player's row

3. The scorebook should be tallied and kept accurate throughout the game, and the scoreboard should match the book. 

MARKING SCORES: 

Here are some tips on how to properly input points in the scorebook:

• If a player lines up for a free-throw, draw a circle in the appropriate scoring box next to the player in the book. If the player MAKES the free-throw, then you draw a slash mark or an "X" through that circle or fill in that circle entirely (indicating it was a MADE 1-point free-throw). If the player misses the free-throw, leave the circle open/empty to indicate an attempted but missed free-throw shot. Repeat for the 2nd free-throw if applicable.

• If it is a 2-point shot made, put a small "2" in the appropriate scoring box next to the appropriate player.

• If it is a 3-point shot made, put a small "3" in the appropriate box next to that player. Both the person marking the scorebook and the person manning the machine linked to the scoreboard in the gym need to pay attention when a player is close to the three-point line. If the player puts up a shot that the official deems a legal 3-point shot, then the ref will throw up his/her arm to let the score table know that if made, it should count as 3 points. If made, the official will then typically put up 3 fingers and look right at the score table to confirm that this basket was indeed counted as 3 pts. 

FOULS: 

The officials are unable to keep track of each player's and each team's fouls, which is one of the reasons why the bookkeeper does this. 

• The bookkeeper needs to alert the officials when a player has fouled out or when the "bonus fouls" are in effect (see below for more info).

• The official will come over to the score table to review the book and verify. 

• As a courtesy, a bookkeeper may also advise the applicable coach if that coach's player is close to fouling out of the game.

1. Every time any foul occurs in a game, the scorekeeper needs to make TWO marks in the scorebook:

• One mark needs to go in the foul box next to the specific player who committed the foul. When a foul occurs, the official will look right at the table and identify the player # who committed the foul - the person running the books must pay attention to this info from the official.  

• The second mark needs to go in the appropriate team foul box (there are 2 foul boxes for each team in the book, one for each half of game)

2. Once a player commits 5 fouls in a game, that player is immediately removed from the game (not to return to play). These individual fouls are cumulative (i.e., they do not "reset" at halftime). If this occurs (a player has 5 fouls), the score table must alert the officials to this immediately.

3. The 1:1 bonus free throw situation that occurred on the 7th foul of each half has been eliminated.  

4. Once a team has a total of 10 fouls committed by its players, the 2-shots bonus situation is in effect. This means that a foul committed by a player on that team (beginning with the 10th foul and beyond) results in the other team shooting 2 at the free-throw line. The score table needs to alert the official if a team has committed 10 fouls in a half (the official may come to verify in the book).

5. At halftime of the game, accumulation of team fouls (#4 above) reset. This means that starting the 2nd half of the game, both teams start with zero team fouls. The 2-shots bonus situation is in effect again at 10 fouls, as accumulated anew in the second half. 

6. Technical fouls (on players or coaches) contribute to the bonus foul situations. Technical fouls on players contribute to their 5 allowed fouls. This includes any technical fouls because of backcourt pressing violations.