2torial #0543: Learn2 Understand Basketball (Continued) Envision the violations Violations are penalties handed out by referees to teams and players who break the regulations of the game. They are of three basic types: fouls, movement violations, and time violations. The penalties for these violations range from a change of possession, to the award of freethrows (see Keywords), to a player's ejection from the game. There are two types of fouls: Personal fouls are the most common. Referees call fouls on those players who make illegal contact on the court. For instance, if an offensive player shoots the ball and a defender hits the shooter's arm as the ball is released, a referee blows a whistle and calls a foul on that defender. If a player accrues five or six fouls (depending on the level) before a game ends, they "foul out" and must leave the game immediately, for the duration of the game.   Technical fouls are most often called for a show of poor sportsmanship (such as a player kicking a cameraperson) or for breaking certain rules (such as a team playing six at one time). This results in one or two freethrows--in which the rest of the players do not line up on the line--and ensuing possession of the ball. Two technical fouls by one player or coach in one game results in ejection from that game. You make the call: other violations Whether watching the game live or on TV, one of the more satisfying and widespread practices of basketball fans is calling the game, also known as "playing referee." The fan announces uncalled fouls and protests the official referee's mistaken calls: this is possibly a result of a general human desire to influence the outcome of events. If you'd like to join in the fun, you have to know what to shout. Here's a list of the most common violations: Movement violations: Traveling: Traveling is called on a player who advances the ball more than two steps without dribbling it. Note: After a basket is made, the scored-on team's player doesn't have to dribble the ball out of bounds. They can simply collect the ball from the referee and run out of bounds.   Double-dribble: is called on an offensive player who dribbles the ball, picks it up with both hands, and dribbles it again.   Out-of-bounds: a violation in which a player steps outside the court boundaries with the ball, or the ball is passed off the court (sometimes into the face of an unsuspecting fan). Time violations: Shot clock: A clock (often located above the backboard and on the scoreboard) that serves to hasten the offense to shoot the ball, 24 seconds in pro and 35 seconds in college. The clock is reset if the offense rebounds its own shot, or with a change of possession.   Three seconds: Players on offense may stand in the key for three seconds. If they don't leave the key before the referee counts to three, the ball is awarded to the other team. Step 6