Overtime (sport)

Overtime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport in order to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw. The term is most often used in North America.

Basketball

In basketball, if the score is tied at the end of regulation play, the teams play a five-minute overtime period (in high school, it is 3 minutes). As at the start of the game, this period begins with a jump ball between two opponents. The entire five-minute period is played (there is no sudden-death provision). All counts of personal fouls against players are carried over for the purpose of disqualifying players. If the score remains tied after an overtime period, an additional overtime period is played.

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As many as seven overtime periods have been necessary to determine a winner in the National Basketball Association.

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