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How to Keep Basketball Stats: A Guide for Coaches and Parents

By KT Apps · Updated

In youth, school and recreational basketball, the stats are usually kept by a volunteer at the end of the bench: a parent, an assistant coach or a player who is sitting out. It is a satisfying job once you know what you are doing, and a stressful one if nobody has explained it.

This guide covers what to record, what the usual abbreviations mean, simple rules for the stats that cause arguments, and habits that keep the numbers accurate when the game speeds up. It ends with how to keep stats in Cash.

What to record

A full stat sheet tracks these for each player:

Points are not recorded separately; they follow from the shots: 2 for each made two, 3 for each made three and 1 for each made free throw.

If you are new, start with less

Trying to catch everything in your first game is the quickest way to fall behind. A sensible order is:

  1. Points and fouls only. These matter for the score and for foul trouble, so they must be right.
  2. Add shot attempts, so you can see shooting percentages.
  3. Add rebounds and turnovers.
  4. Add assists, steals and blocks once you are comfortable.

If two people are available, split the job: one records shots and fouls, the other rebounds, turnovers and assists.

Simple rules for the tricky stats

Assists

Credit an assist for a pass that leads directly to a made basket, where the scorer did not need to beat a defender on their own. Whatever rule you choose, apply it the same way to every player and every game.

Rebounds

Every missed shot that stays in play ends in a rebound for someone. Record it for the player who gains clear control. If a ball is tipped out of bounds, it is a team rebound; most volunteer stat sheets simply leave it out.

Turnovers

A turnover is any way your team loses the ball without a shot: a bad pass, travelling, a double dribble, stepping out of bounds, an offensive foul or a shot-clock violation. Charge it to the player responsible.

Steals and blocks

A steal is when a defender takes or deflects the ball and their team gains possession. A block is a shot deflected by a defender. A blocked shot is still recorded as a missed attempt for the shooter.

Staying accurate when play is fast

After the game

A box score puts each player's numbers in one row. Shooting is shown as made-attempted, for example 6-14, and a percentage, here 6 / 14 = 42.9 percent. For a fairer measure of scoring that gives extra credit for threes and includes free throws, see how to calculate true shooting percentage.

With young players, it helps to talk about effort stats such as rebounds, steals and assists, not only points. Stats are a way to notice what happened, not a verdict on a child.

Keeping stats in Cash

Cash replaces the paper sheet:

  1. Tap QUICK START to begin with players #1 to #15, or NEW GAME to choose your team, starters, quarter length, number of periods and foul limits.
  2. Run the clock with START CLOCK and STOP CLOCK, and move on with NEXT QUARTER.
  3. Tap a player on the court, then a stat button. In the default quick mode, a tap on a shot button records a make and a long press records a miss.
  4. Use ADD OPPONENT SCORE to keep the other team's points on the scoreboard, and Sub for substitutions.
  5. Fix mistakes with Undo last stat, or delete an entry in Play by Play.
  6. Open Box Score or Shot Chart at any time, and tap END GAME at the final buzzer.

Individual stats are recorded for your team only. Games are saved in your history, season totals build up automatically, and a game can be exported as CSV, JSON or PDF. On the web, data stays in this browser; Cash is also available for iPhone and Android.

Frequently asked questions

What stats should I keep at a basketball game?

Shots made and missed for twos, threes and free throws, offensive and defensive rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers and fouls. Beginners can start with points and fouls only.

What counts as an assist?

A pass that leads directly to a made basket. Choose a clear rule and apply it the same way every game.

Is a blocked shot a missed shot?

Yes. The shooter is charged with a missed attempt and the defender is credited with a block.

How do I keep up when the game is fast?

Record shots first and rebounds straight after, learn the players' numbers, and catch up during timeouts and free throws.

Can Cash track both teams?

Player stats are recorded for your team. The opponent's points can be added to the scoreboard so the final score is right.

More Cash guides