How basketball scoring works
The score in basketball is simple. The clock is not, and almost every scoring dispute in a gym is really a clock dispute.
Points
A field goal inside the arc is two, outside it is three, and a free throw is one. Score All has a button for each rather than a plus and minus, so nobody is doing arithmetic while the game runs.
Game clock and periods
Professional games are four twelve-minute quarters, college is two twenty-minute halves, high school is four eight-minute quarters, and youth leagues vary. All are settings. The clock here runs on the server, which means it keeps correct time even if the phone locks or the browser reloads.
Shot clock
24 seconds in the professional game, 30 in college, 35 in some high school associations. The shot clock resets on a change of possession and on a shot that hits the rim.
Team fouls and the bonus
Once a team commits a set number of fouls in a period, the other team shoots free throws on every subsequent foul. The threshold varies by league, so it is a setting.
Overtime
Tied at the end of regulation means overtime, usually five minutes, repeated until somebody is ahead. Some leagues use sudden death or a first-to-N finish instead.
Pickup rules
Street basketball is usually ones and twos rather than twos and threes, first to 11, 15 or 21, win by two, with no clock at all. That is a preset.
What Score All does with these rules
Clock, periods and fouls
Set the number of periods and their length, start and stop the clock, and tap +1, +2 or +3. Team fouls count per period with a bonus indicator. The clock runs on the server, so a dead phone does not lose time.
Overtime, mercy and running clock
Tied at the end? Overtime periods start automatically (or the game can end in a draw). Youth mercy rules end the game at a set lead, and a running-clock reminder posts when the margin hits your number.
Pickup to 21
No clock: first to 11, 15 or 21 by 1s and 2s, win by 2. Pick the preset and play.
Basketball scoring FAQ
How long is a basketball game?
Four twelve-minute quarters professionally, two twenty-minute halves in college, four eight-minute quarters in most high school play. All are configurable here.
What is the bonus?
After a team commits a set number of fouls in a period, every further foul gives the other team free throws.
How does pickup scoring to 21 work?
Inside shots count one, outside shots count two, first to 21 win by two, no clock. It is one of the presets.
Is there a free basketball scoreboard app with a shot clock?
Yes. Score All has a game clock and a shot clock, quarters or halves, fouls, overtime and a broadcast overlay, free.
Can I show the basketball score on a TV?
Yes. Enter the TV code on any smart TV browser or cast a laptop; the scoreboard updates live.