1. U 篮球运动　 a game for two teams of five players who try to throw a ball into a high net
2. C 篮球　 a ball for playing this game

1. basketball指“篮球运动”时是不可数名词，其前不可加冠词；指“篮球”时是可数名词，前面可以有a或the.
2. basketball有时可用在其他名词前作定语。

　pass a ～　传球
　play ～　打篮球
　～ match　篮球比赛
　～ player　篮球运动员
　～ team　篮球队

　We bought two basketballs.　我们买了两个篮球。
　There is a basketball in the room.　房间里有一个篮球。
　He pitched the basketball out of the window.　他把篮球扔出了窗外。
　She went to play basketball at my suggestion.　按照我的建议她去打篮球了。
　I'd rather play football than play basketball.　我宁愿踢足球而不想打篮球。
　His great height fitted him to play basketball.　他身材高大，适于打篮球。
　Jackson was the giant of the basketball team.　杰克逊是篮球队里的巨人。
　He will shape into an excellent basketball player.　他会成长为一个优秀的篮球运动员。
　We have a basketball match every Sunday.　每星期日我们举行一次篮球赛。

1. 在整个大学学习时期，他一直是校篮球队队员。
　［误］ Throughout his college years, he was in the school basketball team.
　［正］ Throughout his college years, he was on the school basketball team.
　［析］ 表示“属于某队队员〔某组织成员〕”等，用介词on，而不用in.
2. 我们下午打篮球。
　［误］ We shall play a basketball in the afternoon.
　［正］ We shall play basketball in the afternoon.
　［析］ 表示球类运动的名词前不加冠词。