Jump Ball, in basketball, is a method that is used to begin or restart play or simply putting the ball in play.
It is comparable to the ‘Face Off’ in hockey and lacrosse and ‘Ball-up’ in Australian football.
With the jump ball, two players from the opposing teams compete to gain control of the ball after a referee or a game official tosses the ball into the air between them.
In the NBA, WNBA, and the Eurobasket, a jump ball is used to start play at the very start of a game. It can also be used at the start of an extra period.
It can also be used when there are two different calls from two referees after a foul.
For the jump ball, the referee positions himself between 2 opposing players and tosses the ball up.
These two players then jump and attempt to tap the ball to a player on his team. This method is also known as, “opening tip” and is also used to start an overtime period after a held ball is called, and in instances wherein referees are unable to fully determine which team touched the ball last before going out of bounds.
Other basketball leagues also call for a jump ball when there is a double foul during a loose ball, when the ball is stuck on top of the basket flange or between the rim and backboard.
Example of Use:
- Captains from the opposing teams compete for the jump ball at the center court, signaling the start of play.
- YouTube:[Jump Ball][1]
- Image of Jump Ball: [Jump Ball][2]
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5apLW-MN87E
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_ball#/media/File:Joakim_Noah_and_JaVale_McGee.jpg