Sign Out

Did anyone play this game? I wanted to teach it to my kids but can't remember the rules. I don’t know if I have the name wrong because I can't find a single mention of it on the Internet.

I am talking about a basketball game somewhere between 21 and knockout. A player scores on another one on one and that player is eliminated. I swear we played this every day in middle school.

Sounds made up.

Herbie Green wrote:Did anyone play this game? I wanted to teach it to my kids but can't remember the rules. I don’t know if I have the name wrong because I can't find a single mention of it on the Internet.

I am talking about a basketball game somewhere between 21 and knockout. A player scores on another one on one and that player is eliminated. I swear we played this every day in middle school.

never heard of it by that name.. we called a similar game "21" when I was a kid.

King of the Hill?

Never heard of that. 21 is where tip and you're back to zero. Knockout is where everyone has his/her own basketball.

21, as we played it with peach baskets, was where a shot from the field was worth 2 points, a free throw (after making the field goal) was worth 1. First dude to 21 wins.. there were times you had to gamble on making two free throws at 19 or intentionally missing one and hitting a field goal for the win. If you went over 21, you went back to 10, I think.

solid game.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:King of the Hill?

They have been playing this one for the last week. Unfortunately it always ends badly when it is sister against brother at the end.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:21, as we played it with peach baskets, was where a shot from the field was worth 2 points, a free throw (after making the field goal) was worth 1. First dude to 21 wins.. there were times you had to gamble on making two free throws at 19 or intentionally missing one and hitting a field goal for the win. If you went over 21, you went back to 10, I think.

solid game.

Sign out was very similar as I recall. Except once the ball is rebounded the player closest to the player that got the rebound must guard them and if they get scored on they are out. It would often start with like 20 kids.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:21, as we played it with peach baskets, was where a shot from the field was worth 2 points, a free throw (after making the field goal) was worth 1. First dude to 21 wins.. there were times you had to gamble on making two free throws at 19 or intentionally missing one and hitting a field goal for the win. If you went over 21, you went back to 10, I think.

solid game.

Hit 13 and go back to 0. Fight 21 is the bomb.com

Played a game the other week i can't recall the name of

Similar to 21 but more of a shooting contest and play to 11 as tip-ins are much easier. Definitely sounds weird, but play a few games and it makes sense.

Pick the order you'll go in. Doesn't matter much - we used height, age alpha order of names. Order is used to start the game, on airballs, and on 3+bounce rebounds. Airball on FT back to 0. Tip in back to 0, unless you're over 7pts then just back to 7. Have to hit exactly 11 to win, or you go back to 7



1st person shoots, every shot worth 2 points, free throws worth 1. Make it and you go to the free throw line. No limit on free throw shots so you could end the game there. Have to hit rim on a miss or you drop in points and it's the next persons turn to shoot.

If the first person misses the shot, the other players try to get the rebound before it hits the ground a 3rd time. If the ball his the ground 3 times, it becomes the next players turn in the order you set at the beginning. If the rebound is made in 2 or less bounces, that player gets to shoot from wherever they got the rebound.

No real defense played outside of fighting for the rebound and trying to distract the shooter while you're standing by the net to get a tip. Since it's all set shots, it's much easier to tip.

I think it is the same as Lightning:

Lightning, sometimes called Gotcha or Knockout, is played by 2 or more players and requires 2 basketballs. All players line up behind the selected shooting point, typically the center of the free throw line or the top of the key. The first player in line shoots. If he misses, he rebounds the ball and continues shooting until he makes a goal. Once the first player throws the ball for his first attempt, the second player may make his first attempt. The goal of the first player is to make a basket before the second player does. If so, the first player recovers the ball and passes it to the next player in line. The goal of the second player is to make a basket before the first player does. If so, the first player is out and play stops until both balls have been returned to the players in line. Once the now first and second players each have a ball, play resumes. This pattern follows until all players have been eliminated except one, who is declared the winner. Typically a new game then starts with everyone lining up at the same shooting point according to the order they were eliminated, with the winner in the front of the line and the first person eliminated in the back of the line.

Double dribbling and traveling are generally not enforced, as the goal is to make baskets as quickly as possible. It is common for the bumping of an opponent's ball further away from the basket, but some players discourage this behavior. It is also common for a player to throw their ball up through the bottom of the hoop to knock the opponent's ball out and away. Again some players consider this to be poor sportsmanship.

No it is not lighting/knockout. I hadn't seen that until my kids started playing. They play knockout at the end of about every practice. Great game for young kids, different skill levels. Sometimes the parents even get in.
Sign out was more intense and would take longer. More a streetball game. A lot of trash talk because everytime you scored on someone they would get put out of the game. If you were weak I think you could try to survive by hiding in the pack and stay away from the action.
I am talking 1980s in Lansing. I suppose it is possible we invented it ourselves but that seems unlikely. Pretty sure I even played it at MSU - back then kids had free reign on the IM.

BTW, it is awesome as March Madness has taken over my driveway this year. Neighborhood kids have been playing for hours everyday the last couple of weeks. I haven't seen anything like it since I was a kid. They will shovel snow off the court and play in t-shirts when it is 35 degrees.