Basketball · Rules and guides
Basketball guides: scoring, game length and pickup rules
Guides to keeping score in basketball. Pick the page that matches your question: points and free throws, how long a game lasts at your level, or how a pickup game to 11 or 21 is counted.
Keeping score. How to keep score in basketball covers the scoring rules (1 point a free throw, 2 or 3 a basket), fouls and the bonus, the scorebook and overtime, and writes a running score for a sample quarter play by play.
Game length. How long a basketball game is compares the NBA, WNBA, FIBA, college, high school and youth leagues, with halftime, overtime and real time.
Pickup. Pickup basketball scoring explains 1s and 2s, games to 11 or 21, win by 2 and make it, take it.
Every rule here is checked against the governing bodies' rules (FIBA, NBA, NCAA, NFHS and FIBA 3x3), pickup house rules are marked as such, and every app mention matches what the basketball score tracker app does, including what it leaves out.
Scoring guides
Formats and variations
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
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