Saw my first live basketball game today

Where have I been all my life, you ask? Well, the thing is, to my limited knowledge, basketball hasn’t been a very big sport here in New Zealand. Obviously that has changed quite dramatically because even my old girls’ grammar school (which back in my day fielded swimming, netball, tennis and athletics teams) had a basketball team in the schools’ tournament I went to today, but traditionally New Zealand’s focus has been on Rugby (Union and League), Cricket, and Netball (with equestrian sports, swimming and athletics out there too.)

Okay, let’s roll back the clock a bit, I’m getting ahead of myself. The youngest child and I travelled to the North Shore Events Centre today to watch a friend, from down country, play basketball. She plays for the New Plymouth Sacred Heart College team (and very well, too!) As both my kids are netballers the concepts of basketball generally escape me (and I didn’t think to check up on rules etc before going to the game,) but wow, what a pleasant surprise to watch a few games in very active and physical play, and even better to see our friend’s team beat their opposition by 20 points! Yay!

So, I’m a convert. Heck, who doesn’t want to watch a sport that lets all players have a go at goal and where you can run between two squishing opposing players and get given penalty shots, or stand right in someone’s breathing space and restrict their movements and not be pulled up for over defending or obstruction. And some of those shots! Wow!

All I need now is someone to direct me to a site that clearly explains what all the umpires little hand movements mean and what the rules of the sport are.

Any suggestions anyone?