Game ball

A new and improved basketball having improved gripability comprising, in combination:

• a bladder fabricated of an air impervious elastomeric material in a spherical configuration with spiral strands therearound;
• a carcass in a spherical configuration overlying the strands, the carcass having a series of ribs with a thickness of between about 0.2 and 2.0 millimeters, extending outwardly from the carcass;
• a plurality of panels coupled to the exterior surface of the carcass between the ribs, the panels having a thickness of between about 0.2 and 2.0 millimeters, preferably about 1.0 millimeters, over the majority of its extent and with an exterior surface formed with a plurality of raised projections, the raised projections having a height of between about 0.030 inch and 0.120 inch, the projections being in the form of loops with supplemental projections there within, the projections having a surface area covering between about 20 percent and 70 percent of the surface area of the ball and with the areas between the projections being between about 0.15 inch and 0.50 inch, the projections including primary loops with supplemental, generally linear projections within the primary loops.