Sports : The rules of Granny Basketball

A Williamsburg center passes the ball to a teammate during a game vs. Center Point Feb. 26.

The Granny BB court is divided into 3 parts, for each team's guards, centers and forwards.

There are, perhaps, two words that best define the difference between Granny Basketball and the game the players enjoyed 50 or 60 years ago:

"Granny Down."

The rules of Granny Basketball require that the clock and action stop anytime one of the players falls down. Anyone seeing such a mishap will yell, "Granny Down," causing the ref to blow a whistle, the clock to stop, and players from both teams to make sure that the fallen grandmother is ok.

There were a few "Granny Down" moments on Saturday, when the Center Point Model Ts hosted several other teams in the Urbana gym. (In that story, Barb McPherson, who helped organize the Granny Basketball league, explains the history of the game.)

Fortunately, there seemed to be no serious injuries; usually the fallen player was laughing when she got back on her feet.

There are other rules that separate Granny Basketball from other games. Those who remember watching 6-on-6 girls basketball will see many familiar things. Forwards who shoot. Guards who defend the basket. A two-dribble rule.

But in the earlier version of 6-on-6, the court was divided into three parts. In addition to the areas where the forwards and guards play, in Granny Basketball there is a center area. There are two guards, two centers and two forwards on each team. The centers pass the ball to the forwards after a basket by the other team. They can also receive passes from the forwards or guards.

There is also a lower foul limit; a player fouls out when she has committed three fouls.