Hello,

I was wondering if anyone can tell me the rules/scoring of the basketball game of twenty-one. I have not been able to find anything on the web so far - I've found rules for other basketball games but not twenty-one. Thanks for any help.

OK. The way we used to play this when I was playing (and coaching) was that the coach would split the team into two lines, each one with the head at the "elbow" of the free throw line.

Each team would shoot a shot which would count 2 points if made. 1 Rebound could be put back, as long as it did not touch the ground. Rebounds counted 1 point, and successful shots could also be rebounded and put back (counting 3 points in total).

I don't know if this is the game you were refering to. But I hope that I have helped.

Thanks for your quick response ... your descriptions sounds a little different. Actually, here's how I remember twenty-one:

To start the game one person shoots from the free throw line, if the shot is made, it's worth 3 points but if missed then the second person gets the rebound and shoots from where he/she grabs the rebound - if they miss, then the first person grabs the rebound but if the shot is made, it's worth 2 points and they go to the free throw line and keeps shooting until they miss (each "made" shot counting 1 point) at which point the first player grabs the rebound. There's a catch as players accumulate points - if a player reaches 20 points and fails to get 21 points with the next shot, they go back down to 15 points.

Basically rebound shots are worth 2 points and after a successful rebound shot, the shots from the free throw line are worth 1 point. However, my rules were challenged recently. It was pointed out that rebound shots were worth 1 point and subsequent shots from the free throw line were worth 2 points. Using this scoring system, it was possible to have 20 points and have the next shot (from the free throw line) give them 22 points ... this was never possible under the scoring rules that I remembered. To me, if the game is called twenty-one, having the possiblity of 22 points under their scoring rules is just wrong.

Sorry about the long winded post, but can you or anyone verify the rules. Once again thanks for any help.

I played 33.
 

Like any game, there is always regional considerations. I lived most of my life in Illinois. When I spent some time in Texas (Dallas, Richardson area), we played 33. The rules were different and some of the mores based on the game.

It is kind of like playing pool, some will require you to call the shots, others want you to call just the 8 ball. You might have to ask the people you are playing in your area to really know.

But then again, there are places trying to ban dodge ball. What is this world coming too? :)

Peace

The version I used to play in High School would have a shooter score one point for every free throw made and he shot until he missed, then it was one against all to try and score two points for a made basket. This was back before the three point line. I think they use three points to count towards that now. If we scored 22 points we went back to 16 and we had to work our way up from there. There are no out of bonds and there are no fouls.

We play the version where the free throw shooter
can only be on the line for three shots. If he makes all three, take it out at the top of the key. If he scores, back to the line for more free throws.
If you go over 21 you goback to 11.

This is the way we played here in the northeast. We also had a put back option in that if you got a rebound while in the air and the put back went in, you got the two points and the shooter was reset back to zero.
EG

That couldn't happen in our version because
you have to "take it back" (clear the top of the key)
before you can shoot.

This is the way we play it in Kansas and Missouri. The person with the ball is against everyone else. If the A1 caused the ball to go OOB, then it is a scrum for the ball. The only person who cannot recover the ball is the person who caused it to go oob. There are no fouls. If you get whack then toooo bad. However, it was considered weak to foul intentionally. We would always go for the ball.

Thanks for all the responses guys ...
 

I didn't realize there was all this variation on twenty-one. It all sounds different from the way I used to remember. Thanks again.

In Missouri we always called the game War. You could shoot a rebound without taking it behind the line only if the shot was an airball.

Our rules:

1. Play by twos and threes.
2. If you make, you get to shoot FT but a max of three.
3. Go over 21, drop back to 11
4. You have to take it back behind the 3-point line on all change of possessions.
5. If the ball goes OOB, the person guarding gets the ball.
6. We call our own fouls and violations.

The rules we used
 

Similar to one on one (or two, three, four, etc.) If you hit you get two or three points depending on where the shot was taken from. You then get a max of three free throws, if you miss the players can rebound and if they tip the ball in without brining it down you go back to zero points unless you already have 13 (15 or 17). If you hit all three you get the ball but have to take it back out and it starts all over.

StormRider this question is for you.
 

I would like to know where you found some of the other games, as you said in message one. I am interested in seeing some other games that you could play with a teamat the end of practice, but i would like to know the proper rules... I have heard of "bump" which is a good game to play but would like ot see if i could find the official rules... Thankyou

This is how we played, too. EG's "zero" variation was a totally different game around here. (If you made a successful putback, it was required to yell "ZERO!!!" in the original shooter's face :D )

Chuck