Cut your foam board to measure 28 inches by 15 inches--a scaled-down size of a regular mini-basketball court. Use the utility knife and ruler to cut the foam board in straight lines.

Paint the top of the foam board court black or dark gray; let dry. With the pencil and ruler, mark a line down the center of the court at 14 inches in from either end. Find the center of the length of the court (at 7 1/2 inches down) and make a small mark on each end of the court as well as on the line down the center of the court.

Set your compass to a radius of 1 3/4 inches and scribe a full circle around the center point of the court—this should be at the point marked on the center court line. Measure 5 inches in from the center mark on one end of the court and scribe another circle the same size. Measure 3 inches to each side of the center mark on the end, then rule a line between each point to the edge of the circle. Draw a line that joins these two lines and cuts the circle in half. Erase the inside part of the circle. Repeat on the other end of the court.

Paint all the pencil marks with white or yellow paint for the lines of the mini-basketball court. Let dry.

Cut two 7-inch pieces of wire and twist one end into a 1-inch diameter circle. Bend the circle so that it is at a right angle to the rest of the wire, which should be straight. Cut out two 2-inch-by-2-inch rectangles of cardboard and paint it in whatever colors you want for the backboards.

Glue the backboards above the hoop of the wire with hot glue; let dry. Stick the two hoops into either end of the court, 1 inch in from the center point at the end. Secure with hot glue to finish your mini-basketball court model.