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And yes it is an enclosed area (has an eruv) and it is not leveled to the ground like soccer.

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  • The Yerushalmi in Taanis writes that the city Tur Shimon was destroyed because of ball playing on shabbas
    – sam
    Commented Jun 17, 2018 at 18:15

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R Yehoshua Neuwirth in Shmirat Shabbat KeHilchata (vol. 1, p. 189 in the 2002 edition) allows basketball if

  • played on a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete (but not on earth or grass)
  • in an area with an eiruv
  • one doesn't retrieve a ball which would have lodged in a tree (neither by hand, with a stick or by shaking the tree)

There is a question whether playing sports is in the spirit of Shabbat, especially for older kids or adults. The answer will often be dependent on your specific community and its norms, and is best answered by your local rav.

Also see further sources here.

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  • If you're quoting Shmirat Shabbat KeHilchata, at least quote what he says at the beginning of that chapter, that most of this only applies to kids under 13.
    – user9643
    Commented Jun 17, 2018 at 16:02
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    @Ploni he writes that "most of the rules in this chapter" relate to children - but explicitly writes "children" in many of the rules EXCEPT the one I quote above. He prefaces the one above by "there is no reason to forbid ball games played on a hard surface" without mentioning children. He does mention "the spirit of Shabbat" as I note in my answer. Kol tuv.
    – mbloch
    Commented Jun 17, 2018 at 19:45

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