Kristian Ferrell
Six is a basketball term that refers to a player who starts on the bench but plays minutes comparable to a starter. They are usually one of the best players on the team and make a significant contribution to the game. The term is commonly used to refer to the first substitute off the bench, who brings energy and flexibility to the team. In the context of six-on-six basketball, a now-archaic variant of the game, six also refers to the number of players on each team, with three forwards and three guards.
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What You'll Learn
- Six-on-six basketball: a variant of basketball played with six players on each team
- The sixth man: a player who starts on the bench but plays minutes comparable to a starter
- Six major sanctioning bodies: the high school athletic organisations of Iowa and Oklahoma were among the last to abandon six-on-six basketball
- Six-player girls' basketball: the sport was chronicled in the 2004 book, *The Only Dance in Iowa*
- Six-on-six basketball in media: the 2008 Iowa Public Television special, *More Than a Game: Six-on-Six Basketball in Iowa*, and the 2021 film, *New Providence*
Six-on-six basketball: a variant of basketball played with six players on each team
Six-on-six basketball, also known as basquette, is a now-archaic variant of basketball usually played by women and girls. The game is played with the same rules as regular basketball, with a few exceptions.
The first difference is that each team fields six players instead of the standard five. These six players are divided into three forwards and three guards. Only the forwards are allowed to shoot the ball, and they must do so from their team's frontcourt (the side of the court they shoot from). Meanwhile, the guards must remain in their team's backcourt. This means that forwards only play offense, while guards only play defense.
In some forms of six-on-six basketball, unlimited dribbling is not allowed. Instead, players are restricted to dribbling the ball a maximum of two times before they must shoot (if they are a forward) or pass to a teammate. There is no three-point line; all field goals are worth two points.
Six-on-six basketball was once a popular variant of the game, especially in small-town Iowa, where it was played by young women who became local superstars. The format is still used by the Granny Basketball League, formed in Iowa in 2005, which consists of women aged 50 and older who play by 1920s rules and wear 1920s-style uniforms. However, today, nearly all women's basketball leagues (professional, college, and high school) have adopted the same five-on-five rules as men's basketball, with only minor differences such as ball size and the distance of the three-point line. The last major sanctioning bodies to abandon the six-on-six variant were the high school state athletic organizations of Iowa and Oklahoma.
The term "sixth man" in basketball refers to a player who starts on the bench but plays minutes or puts up stats comparable to one of the players in the starting five. This player is typically skilled offensively and can create offense for themselves and others, bringing energy off the bench and being flexible enough to play with different lineups.
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The sixth man: a player who starts on the bench but plays minutes comparable to a starter
The sixth man in basketball is a player who starts the game on the bench as a substitute but plays minutes comparable to a starter. They are usually one of the best players on the team and are expected to make a significant impact on the game. The sixth man brings energy and momentum to the game, providing flexibility to play with different lineups. They are often skilled offensively, creating opportunities for themselves and their teammates.
The role is not a formal or set position, but rather a strategy employed by coaches to utilise their best players effectively. The sixth man comes off the bench to provide a boost in offence or defence when the starters are rested. They can be a valuable asset to the team, preventing scoring droughts and maintaining the flow of the game.
Historically, the concept of the sixth man is attributed to legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who first used guard Frank Ramsey in this role. Ramsey, one of the Celtics' best players, preferred coming off the bench, and Auerbach wanted his top players fresh for the crucial moments of close games. John Havlicek, Ramsey's teammate, further revolutionised the role during his 16-year career.
The sixth man is often one of the five best players on the team, bringing offensive capabilities and energy to the court. They may initiate the offence, bringing the ball up the court and setting the pace. Prototypical examples of the sixth man include Manu Ginobili and James Harden during his time with the Thunder.
The sixth man is a unique and important role in basketball, requiring a specific player type who can make a substantial impact on the game despite not being part of the starting lineup.
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Six major sanctioning bodies: the high school athletic organisations of Iowa and Oklahoma were among the last to abandon six-on-six basketball
Six-on-six basketball, also known as basquette, is a now-archaic variant of basketball that was usually played by women and girls. The game was played with the same rules as regular basketball, with a few exceptions. Each team had six players instead of five, comprising three "forwards" and three "guards". Only forwards were allowed to shoot the ball, and they had to stay in their team's frontcourt (the side of the court they shoot from). Guards, on the other hand, had to remain in their team's backcourt. Thus, forwards played only offense and guards played only defense. In some versions of the game, players were restricted to dribbling the ball only twice before they had to shoot or pass. There was no three-point line; all field goals were worth two points.
Six-on-six basketball was once common in high school girls' basketball in several states, including Iowa, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. In Iowa, the sport was so popular that it inspired a book, *The Only Dance in Iowa: A History of Six-Player Girls' Basketball*, a television special, and a musical. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union was one of the last major sanctioning bodies to abandon the six-on-six variant of basketball. In 1968, the Iowa girls' state high school championship game saw Union-Whitten beat Everly 113-107 in overtime. Jeanette Olson of Everly scored 76 points, while Denise Long of Union-Whitten scored 64.
Oklahoma was also among the last states to abandon six-on-six basketball. Kelli Litsch of Thomas High School in Thomas, Oklahoma, set a state tournament scoring record of 338 points in nine games over three years, averaging 37.6 points per game. She led her team to 77 wins and only 9 losses over three seasons, scoring a then-record 3,364 total points.
In 1958, the Office of Civil Rights began considering banning six-on-six high school girls' basketball. It took 37 years to completely phase out the game. Today, nearly all women's basketball leagues, including high school, college, and professional, have adopted the same five-on-five rules as men's basketball, with only minor differences in ball size and three-point line distance.
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Six-player girls' basketball: the sport was chronicled in the 2004 book, *The Only Dance in Iowa*
Six-on-six basketball, or basquette, is a variation of basketball that is usually played by women and girls. It follows the same rules as regular basketball, with a few exceptions. Each team has six players instead of five, comprising three "forwards" and three "guards". Only forwards are permitted to shoot the ball and they must remain in their team's frontcourt, while guards must stay in the backcourt. Forwards play only offense and guards play only defense. Some forms of the game restrict dribbling, allowing players to dribble the ball a maximum of two times before they must shoot or pass.
Six-player girls basketball was the most successful sporting activity for girls in American history, with over 70% of girls in Iowa participating at its peak. The state tournament was incredibly popular, drawing fifteen thousand fans, which was more than the boys' tournament. The Only Dance in Iowa: A History of Six-Player Girls' Basketball, published in 2004 by Dr. David (Max) McElwain, chronicles the one-hundred-year history of this Iowa tradition. The book reveals how six-player girls basketball came to symbolise Iowa's independence and the rural pride of its people. It also highlights the intricate political, sociological, and historical dynamics that influenced this cultural phenomenon.
McElwain, a former sportswriter for several Midwestern newspapers, demonstrates how six-player girls basketball in Iowa was a "utopia for girls' athletics", as described by Sports Illustrated. The popularity of the sport was such that officials declined a broadcasting offer from ABC's Wide World of Sports to retain control of the game. The book also explores the impact of Title IX on the sport, which ultimately led to its demise.
The Only Dance in Iowa provides a detailed account of six-player girls basketball in Iowa, including the politics and dynamics surrounding the sport. It offers valuable insights into the sociological aspects of sports, gender dynamics, and community relationships. The book has received positive reviews, with some readers finding it uplifting and nostalgic. It is considered a worthwhile read for those interested in the history of basketball and the broader societal context of sports.
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Six-on-six basketball in media: the 2008 Iowa Public Television special, *More Than a Game: Six-on-Six Basketball in Iowa*, and the 2021 film, *New Providence*
Six-on-six basketball, or basquette, is a variation of basketball that is now considered archaic and is no longer played in official competitions. It was played with six players on each team, comprising three "forwards" and three "guards". Only forwards were allowed to shoot the ball, and they were restricted to their team's frontcourt (the side of the court they shoot from). Guards were restricted to their team's backcourt. Forwards therefore played only offense, and guards only defense. Some versions of the game also restricted players to a maximum of two dribbles, after which they had to shoot or pass.
Six-on-six basketball has been the subject of several media works. The 2008 Iowa Public Television special, *More Than a Game: Six-on-Six Basketball in Iowa*, is a documentary that looks back at the game and its significance for the generations of girls who played it. It was also the subject of the 2009 musical, *"Six-On-Six": The Musical",* by Robert John Ford, celebrating the sport's popularity in Iowa. The 2021 film, *New Providence*, directed by Thor Moreno, dramatized six-on-six women's basketball.
Six-on-six basketball was played widely in Iowa and Oklahoma, and to a lesser extent in Tennessee and New Jersey, until the 1980s and 1990s when it was phased out in favour of the standard five-on-five game. It was particularly popular in small towns, where communities rallied behind their daughters and school leaders fought for girls' equality. The game was also covered by major media outlets, including CBS, ESPN, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, and Sports Illustrated.
The six-on-six game produced some extraordinary athletes. For example, Bertha Teague of Byng High School in Oklahoma won three straight state tournament championships in the 1930s, a record that was not equalled until 1987. Trish Head of Henrietta, Tennessee, went on to become an illustrious women's basketball coach at the University of Tennessee under her married name, Pat Summit.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, "six" is a basketball term.
"Six" in basketball refers to a player who starts on the bench but plays minutes comparable to one of the players in the starting five.
The sixth man is also referred to as the "score-first sixth man".
The role of the sixth man is to bring energy off the bench and be flexible enough to play with different lineups. They are usually one of the best players on the team and are skilled at creating offense for themselves and others.
Yes, six-on-six basketball is a variant of the traditional five-on-five game, where each team fields six players instead of five. This variant is now largely archaic and was usually played by women and girls.
