Terms T to Z

Take a Bus. Travel.
Take it to the Cylinder. Drive to the basket.
Take it to the Hole. Drive to the basket.

Take it to the Hoop.  Drive to the basket.
Take it to the Rack. Drive to the basket.
Tap Back. A type of pass where a player who is passed the ball never actually holds or controls the ball. Instead they tap it back to the person that passed it to them or to another fellow player. 

Tear Drop Shot. A shot where a shorter player is confronted by a big and jumps sooner than the big expects and finishes with a short jumper. John Stockton was known for this shot. See Floater.

Technical foul or “T”. A foul called against a player or a coach for bad conduct. Parents now also get them when a ref figures out who an obnoxious parent is rooting for. In context: Getting T’d Up.

Three Second Violation. You can’t stand in the lane (also called “the paint”) when you are attacking for more than three seconds. The three seconds count starts when the ball crosses the half-court line. Your team must be in control of the ball for the three second count to be good. If the ball is in the air because a player has taken a shot, nobody is in control so there is no three second count. If you are trying to get out of the lane and players are in your way no three second violation should be called against you. Aka : Three in the Key

Three-quarter Denial. When a defender has one foot in front of and one foot behind an opponent and hand in front of the opponent.
Throw-in. An inbounding of the ball.
Throw-in Plane. The virtual (invisible) vertical plane created by the baseline or sideline where the ball is being inbounded. If an inbounder crosses the plane with the ball, a nearby defender can steal it.
Throw it Down. Dunk the ball. Noun; a Throwdown.

Ten Second Line. The half-court line past which a team must bring the ball within ten seconds of being given possession of the ball. Aka. Timeline.
Time-Out. A pause in the game for a finite amount of time called for by a coach for reasons of rest or strategy.. Teams are alotted a certain amount of time-outs per game or game period depending on the league. A referee also may call a time-out if there is an injury. The game clock stops during time-outs. Aka Time.

Tip-in.   When a player crashes the boards and taps a ball into the hoop that bounces off the rim or backboard after a missed shot.

Took a Bus.  Traveled.

Top of the Mountain. A location at the apex of the 3-point line.
Turning Your Man. A defensive strategy where a player will force the attacker they are guarding to dribble in a direction in which they or the team are weak. For example, right-handed dribblers don't like to drive to their left.

Turnaround Jumper. A jump shot that starts with the shooter facing away from the basket and she turns as she jumps and releases when finally facing the basket.

Tracing.  A defensive technique of following the ball with both hands without touching the ball that’s in the offensive players hands (who you are guarding).

Traffic. A cluster of tightly positioned offensive and defensive players in motion. Often times traffic is noted when a player does something impressive despite the difficulty of being "in traffic".

Trailer.  A player who follows behind a team mate who is in transition or breakaway.

Trailing Official. The official who trails up the court on a change of possession and then positions himself at he half-court line.

Trap.   Where two (or more) players stop the progress of an opponent who is dribbling the ball in parts of the court we call trap zones.

Transition Offense. When your team gets a rebound and moves the ball down the court before the other team can set up its defense. Note: It’s faster to pass the ball down the court than it is to try and dribble it.
Travel.  When you catch the ball you have to set your “pivot” foot (the one you imagine is nailed to the floor). If you lift your pivot foot before you start dribbling you have committed a violation called “traveling”. If you have the ball and fall to the floor while you are holding it you are traveling. If you are knocked down while you are holding the ball and slide you are NOT traveling unless you stand up (if you’re on your back you can SIT up only).

The following is travelling if you hold the ball and:

1. go from two knees to one knee
2. roll over
3. go from your stomach to your knees
4. any attempt to get up on your feet
5. if any part of your body touches the floor but except for your hand.

Tre (pronounced “tray”). Three-point shot. Also known as a 3-Ball or a Trip.
Trent Tucker Rule. An NBA rule that disallows any regular shot if inbounded at 3 tenths of a second. Trent Tucker played for the NY Knicks.
Triangle Basketball. A generally understood basketball concept of offensive player arrangement where if an imaginary line were to connect these players the lines would create a series of triangles. The benefit is the player with the ball always has at least two pass options.
Trigger.   The initiator, usually the in-bounder, on a S.O.B. or B.O.B.

Trillion. Used to describe an unreal statistic where a player is put into a game for such a short time that they fail to register any normally kept statistics.
Trip. Three point shot.

Triple Double. A statistic that includes double figures in point, assists, and rebounds.

Triple Threat Position. An offensive way to position your body so that you can do one of three things; pass, shoot, or dribble. You usually take this position anytime you get a pass or a rebound.

Turd Sandwich. Slang for boxing out. See “Butt-to-Gut”.
Turn Around Jumper. A jump shot that begins with the shooter's back to the basket and their body twists in the air after the initial take-off, releasing the the ball at the peak of the jump.

Turn and face. You’ll hear your coach yell this. When you are running back to defend your basket you must turn around at the half-court line and run backwards so you know where the ball is and can defend against it. Always know where the ball is !

Turnover.  When a player loses possession of the ball for different reasons such as poor pass or steal.

Tweener (or Swingman). A player who can play both guard and forward.

Twins!  Yelled by a team mate who sees a double team but the team mate being double-teamed does not. It should also alert all to the fact that someone is unguarded.

Two-hand Overhead Pass.  A pass used to throw over the head of a defender. One of the most effective and fastest passes. See Skip Pass.

Ups.    Vertical jump. (Example: “She had good ups”). Aka Hops, Vert, Hangtime, and Air.

Uh-Uh Defense. Denial defense.

Under the Branches. When a penetrating dribbler is able to move to the hoop under the arms of defending post players.
Unsportsmanlike Foul. A flagrant, purposeful, and sometimes violent foul meant to hurt a player. Sometimes it may be a display of temper.
Up-and-Down. A violation where a player with the ball jumps up and lands while holding the ball. More commonly called travelling lately. Thanks Steve Jeanette -Vermont high school and AAU Coach !

Up in Their Grill.   Where a defender plays tight on-ball defense (grille=teeth).

Up-the-line (UTL)  See OTL above. In this case the defender plays closer to the midpoint of the imaginary line connecting the ball with the player being guarded.
Vert. Height of jump. A player is said to have good vert. See Ups, Hangtime, Air.

Verticality.   On defense against a player (often in the low post or trap zone) who has the ball you should pretend that there is a plane of glass and you are pressed up against it with your hands straight up and your feet planted. If you lean over a player who has the ball then the ref will blow the whistle against you (that’s called a “sagging vertical”). Keeping vertical is good, clean defense.

Walk.   Travel. See Take a Bus.

Weak Side.  The side of the court that doesn’t have the ball at a given time. See Strongside.
Wheels ! Yelled to a player with the ball meaning to speed dribble up the court, usually in transition. See Push! , Breakout !.

Whip Move.  Where a player who has just received a pass will reverse pivot and at the same time abruptly snap the ball overhead in a vertical pendulum motion and then start dribbling. A type of Show and Go.

Windex Man (Girl). A great rebounder that “cleans” the glass.
Widebody. Expression used to discribe a player with a large frame, very often a power forward.

Window.  The box outlined above the hoop. Used to help aim the ball.

Wing.    A term used to refer to a perimeter player who is positioned at the top of the 3-point line and either to the left or right. See “shoulder” above.

Wrap Around. An around- the- back dribble or a type of poke at the ball where a defender will purposefully allow an opponent blow and quickly reach around the opponent and take a swipe at the ball.

Zipper Cut.  A post move from low post along the lane (that because of the line pattern looks like a zipper) toward the elbow the purpose for which is to get a pass.
Zone Defense. A specific arrangement of players on defense used when man-to-man doesn't work or the team needs a rest from man-to-man. There many different types such as 2-1-2, 1-4, and 2-3 zones.
Zone Offense. A set or arrangement of players on offense where some or all have specific roles.