Unlike modern basketball hoops , the bottom of the basket was still there , so after a point was scored , somebody had to get the ball out of the basket . Over time , people made a hole at the bottom of the basket so the ball could go through more easily . In contrast with modern basketball nets , this peach basket retained its bottom , and balls had to be retrieved manually after each `` basket '' or point scored ; this proved inefficient , however , so the bottom of the basket was removed , allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time .