Final answer:
In the sentence provided, 'basketballs' is the direct object that receives the action of the transitive verb 'brought.' The subject is the compound noun 'Ten and Brantley.'
Step-by-step explanation:
In the sentence "Ten and Brantley brought their basketballs," the word basketball is not the direct object; rather, basketballs is the direct object. The direct object is what receives the action of the verb. Here, "brought" is the transitive verb that requires a direct object to complete its meaning, and the direct object is indeed "basketballs," as it is the thing that Ten and Brantley brought.
Reviewing your sentence structure, the subject is the compound noun "Ten and Brantley" and the action or transitive verb is "brought." The word following the verb that receives the action is "basketballs," therefore, making it the direct object of the sentence.