League Rules

Revised 4.13.14 / Approved by Coaches at Meeting 3.10.14

This rule set has been designed over years to fit the need of our league.  We aim to prepare our players to play at a high school level.  Please review and if you have any questions, please feel free to approach our officials or League Director.  

The league supervisor reserves the right to interpret and/or change any of the league rules at his discretion.  In the absence of a league supervisor, the officials are the final call. Please honor the game by honoring the call.

Facility

All middle school games will be played at Edenvale Youth Center. 4955 Edenview Dr.

All high school games will be played at Seven Trees Community Center. 3590 Cas Dr, San Jose, CA 95111.

Player Roster

Team rosters shall consist of no more than 12 players. Each team will submit a first draft roster on the Monday prior to the first game (March 24th, 2014).  The finalized roster along with all permission slips and current year facesheets proving age need to be submitted no later than the Wednesday prior to Game 2 (April 9th, 2014). There will be no exceptions.  Any players added midseason must be submitted and approved by the League Director at least 24 hours before the game.

We are a co-ed league.  All players must play for their appropriate age group.

All coaches will be given the score sheet prior to the start of the game for player names and jerseys numbers.  If a player is forgotten or a number is incorrectly filled in, a Technical Foul will be assessed to that team.

Bench Etiquette

All teams are allowed as many coaches as they want on their bench. Only ONE Coach can be standing at all time.  If two coaches are standing, a Technical Foul will be assessed to that team.

Uniform

All team members must wear the same colored jersey with each jersey having an identifiable number. A team cannot have two players with the same number participating in any game. Officials will check this prior to the start game. Uniforms must be tucked in at all times.  All jewelry (rings, ear rings, nose rings, eyebrow rings, etc.) will either be removed or taped over during the game. At no time shall a player be playing in a game with any type of jewelry exposed.

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship is defined as:

• playing fair
• following the rules of the game
• respecting the judgment of referees and officials
• treating opponents and teammates with respect

You demonstrate good sportsmanship when you show respect for yourself, your teammates, and your opponents, for the coaches on both sides, and for the referees, judges, and other officials.

Any fighting or attempt to throw a punch will result in Immediate Dismissal from the league and Possible Legal Procedures. An “Incident Form” will be filled out immediately following the altercation. The league supervisor will complete the “Incident Form” with statements coming from the game officials.

Players can cheer for their team but unruly Fans and Players will not be tolerated.  Coaches will be given 1 warning for unruly Fans/Players, if the problem continues that Fan or Player may be escorted from the gym and a Technical Foul will given to that team.

There will be No Abusive Language allowed on the court toward other teams, officials, league supervisor or any other persons in the building. A technical foul can be called by the referees at any point for abusive language violations.

All teams/players will be assessed a Technical Foul for excessive celebration during or before a basketball game.

Any player hanging on the rim prior or during the game will be given a Technical Foul.  Players are allowed to hang on the rim only when another player is underneath the basket and it prevents any/all injuries.

Game Length

The game will consist of four 8 minute quarters with a 3‐minute half time. A continuous running clock will be used for the 1st and 3rd quarters and until the last 2 minutes of the 2nd and 4th quarter, except for injury, fouls time‐outs, or official request. Regulation clock will be in effect during the final two minutes of the game and any overtime periods. Clock will stop for all whistles the final two minutes and overtimes.

If a team is up by 20 or more points in the 2nd half a continuous running clock will be used. The clock will only stop for timeouts.  The team will not be allowed to play defense outside of the 3-point line.  If the differential become less than 20 then the regulation clock will return.

Overtime

If the score is tied at the end of regulation play, there will be a 2‐minute overtime period with normal clock (Clock stop on all whistles and free throws will be shot if a team is in the bonus or the foul was committed during the shot). Each team will be given 1 time‐out for overtime. If overtime ends in a tie, the game will be decided by a sudden death period. First team to score wins.

Substitutions, M.P.R. (must play rule) & Player Advantage Rule

Players wishing to sub into the game must check in first with the scorer’s table and wait for official to call in to the game.

All players not wanting to sub into the game must stand clear and away from the scorers table.  If this problem continues, a Technical Foul can be assessed to that team.

The first half of the game is reserved for MPR. 5 starting players must play the entire first quarter without substitutions. The remaining players must play the entire 2nd quarter without substitutions.  Substitutions will only be allowed for players in foul trouble (i.e. 3 personal fouls in the first half) and those who played the first quarter.

The second half of the game is free substitutions.

In the high school league only, there may be only 4 Seniors per team designated by a colored wristband.  Only 2 Seniors from a team may be in play.

PLAYER ADVANTAGE RULE (Coaches Choice):  If a team has one or fewer players present and physically able to play at tip-off, the player advantage rule shall take effect.

Note: The following player advantage rules are intended and designed for 10 players max on each team. Treat this rule based on 10 players not 12 players. Example: If one team has 9 players and the other team has 12 the advantage is only 1 players and should be viewed as a 9 player team VS a 10 player team. The coach with 10 players can choose (1 player) that cannot play the 2nd quarter.  This rule is in affect to get all teams to recruit at least a 10 player roster.

One Player Less– If a team has one less player than the opposing team, the opposing coach shall choose which one (1) player to sit out the second period.

Two Players Less  – If a team has two less player than the opposing team, the opposing coach shall choose which two (2) players to sit out the second period.

Three Players Less- If a team has three less players than the opposing team, the opposing coach shall choose which three (3) players to sit out the second period

The Five (5) Player Rule: If a team has only (5) players present and physically able to play at tip-off the opposing team shall be awarded with Free Substitutions when a coach can play whomever they want for the whole game.  All players do not need to play, this is up to the coaches discretion.

Forfeits

A game will be forfeited if a team shows up late to a game. They will have no more than a 10 minute grace period before the game becomes a loss. A scrimmage game without refs may be played but it will not count towards the season.

The Game

Possession

All games will start with a jump ball. Each additional quarter will begin with in‐bounding the ball according to alternate possession. All jump balls will be alternate possessions. Overtime periods will start with jump ball.

Timeouts

Each team is allowed 2 time‐outs per half. Each team will receive 1 time out

in the first over time session. 2nd Half timeouts do not carry over.  In the event that a team calls a time-out, has none left and the official stops play, the team will be allowed to take the time-out but also be given a technical.

Scoring

Scoring is as follows: 2 pt/Field Goal, 3 pt/field Goal beyond the arc, 1 pt/per free throw.  If a player scores in the wrong basket, points will be given to the opposing team.  The points will be recorded for the nearest opposing player.

Fouls

Fouls shots will be shot throughout the entire game. 2nd half foul totals carry over to all Overtime periods.  During a free throw attempt, players may enter the lane area once the ball hits the rim after the shot.  Bonus will be in place when the opposing team accumulates 7 team fouls.  This awards a "one and one" foul shot opportunity.  Double Bonus will be in place when the opposing team accumulates 10 team fouls. This awards team with 2 foul shot opportunity.

Any player accumulating 5 Personal Fouls will no longer be able to play in that game.  The team will be given a 20 second substitution time-out.

All technical fouls are an automatic free throw shot and possession against the offending team.

A team receiving 3 technical fouls in a game will automatically forfeit that game. Any player receiving 2 technical fouls during the game will be ejected and serve an automatic 1 game suspension. If a player is ejected twice in the same season, the player will be suspended for the remainder of the season.

Personal fouls: Personal fouls include any type of illegal physical contact.

• Hitting
• Pushing
• Slapping
• Holding
• Illegal pick/screen -- when an offensive player is moving. When an offensive player sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in an attempt to block the path of the defender.

Personal foul penalties: If a player is shooting while a being fouled, then he gets two free throws if his shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in.

• Three free throws are awarded if the player is fouled while shooting for a three-point goal and they miss their shot. If a player is fouled while shooting a three-point shot and makes it anyway, he is awarded one free throw. Thus, he could score four points on the play.
• Inbounds. If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul was committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side or baseline, out of bounds, and have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court.
• Bonus - One & one. If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the game, then the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot, then he is awarded another free throw.
• Double bonus - Ten or more fouls. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then the fouled player receives two free throws.

Charging. An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

Blocking. Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing position in time to prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.

Flagrant foul. Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and punching. This type of foul results in free throws plus the offense retaining possession of the ball after the free throws.

Intentional foul. When a player makes physical contact with another player with no reasonable effort to steal the ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.

Technical foul. Technical foul. A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It does not involve player contact or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the game. Foul language, obscenity, obscene gestures, and even arguing can be considered a technical foul, as can technical details regarding filling in the scorebook improperly or dunking during warm-ups.

VIOLATIONS

Walking/Traveling. Taking more than 'a step and a half' without dribbling the ball is traveling. Moving your pivot foot once you've stopped dribbling is traveling.  Traveling is only allowed on an inbound pass when the opposing team has just scored or turned over the ball after a free-throw shot.

Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of or, sometimes, even under the ball.

Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or picking up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble.

Held ball. Occasionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball at the same time. In order to avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee stops the action and awards the ball to one team or the other on a rotating basis.

Goaltending. If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down toward the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched the backboard, or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the shot counts. If committed by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a throw-in.

Backcourt violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line, they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the other team to pass inbounds.

5-Seconds Inbound. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team.

3-Seconds in the Key. If an offensive player spends three (3) consecutive seconds in the lane, designated by a rectangle under the basket. Time starts when the player has one foot or more in the key.

10-Seconds Back Court. An offensive team has 10 seconds to bring the ball across the halfcourt line.  

5-Seconds Closely Guarded. A player who is dribbling or holding a live ball on the playing court is closely guarded when an opponent is in an active guarding position at a distance of no more than one (1) m. A closely guarded player must pass, shoot or dribble the ball within five (5) seconds.