An Introduction To Basketball Statistics

 

If you are new to statistics, our training video - "An Introduction To Basketball Statistics" - may be of interest. It may also be useful for more experienced statisticians wishing to brush up on statistical criteria:

 

Part 1 - Intro, Field Goals & Free Throws

Part 2 - Rebounds

Part 3 - Assists

Part 4 - Turnovers

Part 5 - Steals

Part 6 - The Rest & Becoming A Better Statistician

 

This resource is also available as a DVD. If you would like a copy, please contact Craig Costello.

 

Statistics Categories

 

When reporting game statistics to England Basketball, the following categories are required for each player-

 

Playing Time - (MIN) - The amount of time spent on court (ideally in minutes and seconds, rather than just minutes).

Two-Pointers Attempted - (2PA) - The number of attempts to score from the two-point field goal area.

Two-Pointers Made - (2PM) - The number of successful scores from the two-point field goal area.

Three-Pointers Attempted - (3PA) - The number of attempts to score from the three-point field goal area.

Three-Pointers Made - (3PM) - The number of successful scores scored from the three-point field goal area.

Free Throws Attempted - (FTA) - The number of attempts to score a free throw.

Free Throws Made - (FTM) - The number of successful free throws.

Offensive Rebounds - (OR) - The number of times the player obtained possession following a missed shot by their own team.

Defensive Rebounds - (DR) - The number of times the player obtained possession following a missed shot by the other team.

Assists - (ASS) - The number of times the player passed to a team-mate that leads directly to that team-mate scoring.

Turnovers - (TO) - The number of times the player is responsible for their team losing possession of the ball.

Steals - (ST) - The number of times the player actively causes a turnover by the opposition.

Blocked Shots - (BLK) - The number of times the player legally deflects a shot attempt by an opponent and causes it to miss.

Blocks Against - (BLKA) - The number of times the player has a shot attempt blocked by an opponent.

Personal Fouls - (PF) - The number of fouls committed.

Fouls Drawn - (FO) - The number of times the player was fouled.

Points - (PTS) - The number of points scored.

 

In addition, the following categories also needed to be tracked for the team -

 

Offensive Rebounds - (OR) - The number of times the team obtained possession (i.e. throw-in) following a missed shot by their own team.

Defensive Rebounds - (DR) - The number of times the team obtained possession (i.e. throw-in) following a missed shot by the other team.

Turnovers - (TO) - The number of times the team is responsible for losing possession of the ball.

Personal Fouls - (PF) - The number of technical fouls committed by the coach and/or bench.

 

 

For guidance on the awarding of the above statistics always refer to the FIBA Statistician Manual, there are a few guidance notes below.

 

Assists

A pass is only an assist if -

1. It creates the scoring opportunity
2. The scorer immediately intended to score (they can take time to balance themselves)

Remember to award assists on a made free throw if the pass would have been an assist, but the shooter was fouled and did not score the field goal.

 

Steals

A defender has to have done something to create the turnover to be credited with a steal. Just being in the right place is not enough.

 

No steal should be given if the ball is dead (unless the player has caused a jump ball situation which is a turnover).

 

The defender does not have to end up with the ball to get a steal. If they tip a pass which ends up as a turnover, they can be credited with the steal.

 

Player rebound is the first player to control the ball (a tip can be control).

 

Team rebounds are if the ball goes out of bounds before anyone controls it, or if there is a foul before anyone controls it.

 

The only shots with no rebounds are timing related, so either the period ends before someone gets the rebound or a shot-clock violation occurs before someone gets the rebound.

 

The opponents have to gain control of the ball for a turnover to have occurred.

 

A held ball situation can be a turnover.

 

The 'type' of turnover is not as important as who was responsible.

 

8 second and 24 second violations are always team turnovers and everything else is always a player turnover.

 

Award a basket as fast break points if the defence has not had enough time to set up before a basket is scored (normally within the first 8 seconds).

 

Always award the foul drawn (i.e. tell FIBA LiveStats which player was fouled).

 

There is no field goal attempt if the player is fouled in the act of shooting and the ball does not go in.

 

If the shooter is called for a violation on a last free-throw then award a team defensive rebound.

 

If the last free throw is missed following a technical foul (or similar) then there is no rebound and remember the clock on FIBA LiveStats will start automatically, so you will need to stop it.

 

The ball does not have to leave the players hand for a shot to be blocked. If they are obviously trying to shoot and a defender gets a hand on the ball, then this is a blocked shot.

 

Award the jump ball win and jump ball loss at the start of the game. The winner of the jump ball is the player who is in the centre circle for the tip and their team ends up with the ball. For all jump ball situations, enter a jump ball throw in by clicking the button in FIBA LiveStats (and accordingly keep up with the possession arrow).