How To Play 21

  • April 1, 2009
  • 3,574 Views
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Often used to settle scores, 21 is a continuous, fast-paced version of basketball with few rules and little room for error.

You Will Need

  • Three players
  • A basketball
  • A hoop or half of a court
How To Play 21: Decide who starts with the ball

Step 1: Decide who starts with the ball

Decide who starts with the ball. Flip a coin, shoot for it, whatever. To make it easy, let’s assume you’re starting with the ball.

How To Play 21: Starting player is offense, other two are defense

Step 2: Starting player is offense, other two are defense

Take the ball to where the three-point line is and put it in play. You are now on offense, and the other two players are on defense.

How To Play 21: There are no out-of-bounds or fouls

Step 3: There are no out-of-bounds or fouls

Play as though it is a two-on-one game, and try to score. There are no out-of-bounds or fouls.

Use common sense about fouls and out-of-bounds. For example, if the ball rolls out into a street, then you can stop play.

How To Play 21: Whoever has control of the ball is offense

Step 4: Whoever has control of the ball is offense

If you miss a shot or turn the ball over, whoever gets control of the ball becomes the offensive player, and the former offensive player switches to defense.

How To Play 21: Shots are worth normal point values

Step 5: Shots are worth normal point values

When you make a shot, it counts for as many points as it would in a normal game – two points typically, but three points from behind the three-point line.

How To Play 21: Play stops & you shoot free throws

Step 6: Play stops & you shoot free throws

After you make a shot, play stops and you get to shoot additional free throws for one point each.

How To Play 21: Shoot again or game continues

Step 7: Shoot again or game continues

If you make a free throw, you get another — up to three. If you miss, the ball is live and the game continues.

How To Play 21: If you make all three free throws ...

Step 8: If you make all three free throws ...

If you make all three free throws, you get the ball back and start over from the three point line.

When someone else gets control of the ball, he has to dribble past the three-point line to establish possession before he can shoot.

How To Play 21: The game goes to 21, win by two

Step 9: The game goes to 21, win by two

The game goes to 21, but the winning player must win by at least two points. If two people are tied at 20, then whichever player gets a two-point lead first wins.

There are many regional variations of the 21 rules, often requiring players to score exactly 21 to win, and making anyone who goes over go back to 11 points.

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Comments (2)

HeatherM

Love all the shots you got from different angles...really nice video!

over 2 years ago by HeatherM

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yugiohpokemon2

cool dude!!!

about 1 year ago by yugiohpokemon2

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