Basketball Rules
Number of Players and Substitutes
- Each team will have five players on the court with an unlimited number of substitutes. Substitutes will report to the scorer's table and may not enter the game until beckoned in by the referee. The scorer and timer should be seated between the benches of the two teams. The scorer will notify the referee when a team wishes to make a substitution. The scorer should not use a whistle, due to confusion with referee's signal. (The hand bell has proven to be most efficient). Substitutions may be made, without notifying the referee or scorer, at the beginning of each period. Substitutions may be made only at the following times: (a) Commencement of any period of play. (b) Before a foul shot or jump ball. (c) After a time-out. (d) Before a throw-in.
Rule 1 - Period of Play
- Games are 12 minute halves with a 2 minute halftime. This can be left to the discretion of the convenor depending on the tournament format. A suggested format has been sent with each tournament package. In round robin play the C.B.A. tie breaker rule will be used to break a tie. (Please see tournament package) If the teams are tied at the end of regulation time in a playoff game, a rest period of two minutes will be followed by a three-minute straight time overtime period. If, at the end of this period, the teams are still tied, the procedure will be repeated until a winner is declared.
Rule 2 - Scoring
- Two points are awarded for each successful field goal, with one point for each successful technical or personal foul free throw scored. If the ball is in the air on a try for a field goal when the final whistle blows to end a period, the basket counts if scored.
Rule 3 - Time-Outs
- Each team may have two 30-second time-outs only for elimination games. (no timeouts in round-robin)
Rule 4 - Commencement of Play
A jump ball at centre will mark the beginning of each game.
Rule 5 - Jump Ball
- No player may be within six feet of the jumpers. The ball may not be tapped on its way up, but must be tapped after it reaches its peak. A jumper may not touch the ball more than twice in succession. The opposing team is awarded a throw-in at centre. If neither jumper taps the ball there should be a rejump.
Rule 6 - Out of Bounds
- A ball is out of bounds and is turned over to the opposing team if: a) a player's foot touches on or outside of any of the end or side lines; b) the ball touches any of the boundary lines. If the ball touches any part of the backboard (excluding the supports) and remains in bounds, it is in play. The defensive team will give the offensive team at least one metre on throw-ins.
Note: To "save" a ball, a player may leap into the air and move it back into play. This is legal if he left the ground from within the court and if he does not have contact with the ball when he lands out of bounds.
Rule 7 - Throw-In
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If team A scores, team B throws the ball in from behind their own end line without referee stopping play. If team A causes the ball to go out of bounds, team B throws the ball into play after the referee hands the ball to the player.
Rule 8 - Ten-Second Line (Centre Line)
- The team putting the ball in play must bring the ball out across this line before ten seconds have passed. If they fail to do so, that team loses possession of the ball. Ball is awarded to a nearby opponent for a throw-in at the spot nearest the violation. If team A brings the ball from its back court, over the ten-second line to its front court, and if team A causes the ball to return to the back court again (i.e. go back over the ten-second line) where it is touched by team A, team B is given the ball on a throw-in at the side nearest to the point of infraction.
Rule 9 - Personal Foul
- A player shall not: hold; push; charge; trip; impede progress of an opponent by an extended arm, shoulder, hip or knee or by bending the body into other than a normal position; nor use any rough tactics. He shall not contact an opponent with his hand unless such contact is only with the opponent's hand while it is on the ball and is incidental to an attempt to play the ball. Contact caused by a defensive player approaching the ball holder from behind is a form of pushing. Contact caused by the momentum of a player running into another player who is standing still is a personal foul. If a dribbler, without contact, passes an opponent sufficiently to have head and shoulders in advance of him, the greater responsibility for subsequent contact is on the opponent. The dribbler is entitled to a straight line path while in possession of the ball. The defender must have clear possession of a spot before the dribbler can be charged with a foul. These are most often judgement calls on the part of the referee. Discretion must be used. Incidental contact is contact which occurs without having a bearing on the play, and as such, should be disregarded unless it is unsportsmanlike.
Rule 10 - Penalty for Fouling
- The offended player is not awarded a free throw unless: 1) the bonus is in or, 2) he is in the act of shooting. A foul committed before the bonus is in play, and the offended player not in the act of shooting, merely results in a throw-in by the offended players team.
Rule 11 - Bonus Free Throw
- Bonus Free Throw (Senior) - As either team commits its sixth personal foul in each half, for each additional personal foul committed, a bonus free throw is awarded.
- Bonus Free Throw (Junior) – As either team commits its sixth personal foul in each half, no bonus free throw is awarded. Instead, the team fouled will be awarded one point
Rule 12 - Technical Foul
- An official may call a technical foul for any unsportsmanlike tactics. Any player on the team to shoot the technical foul may take the shot. All players of both teams must be behind the centre line with the exception of the shooter. Once the shot has been taken, if team A was shooting, team A also puts the ball in play from the side line at mid-court. A second technical foul disqualifies a participant from the game.
Rule 13 - Free Throw
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On a free throw, a player has the privilege of an unhindered try for a goal. He must be behind the free throw line and may not step on or over this line before the ball touches the rim of the basket. If the ball does not score directly and does not touch the rim on this shot, the referee will blow the ball dead, and the other team takes over the ball on a throw-in from either side of the court at the free throw line extended. When lining up for a free throw, the defenders must have a player on the inside space (space closest to the basket) on each side of the key, with the second space on each side allotted to the offensive team. No player may step on or over the parallel lines of the key before the ball leaves the shooters hand. If a defensive player does so, the shooter will be awarded another try if his shot was unsuccessful. If an offensive player does so, the basket, if scored, will not count, and the defensive team takes over the ball out-of-bounds.
Rule 14 - Number of Players and Substitutes
- Each team will have five players on the court with an unlimited number of substitutes. Substitutes will report to the scorer's table and may not enter the game until beckoned in by the referee. Scorer & timer should be seated between the benches of the 2 teams. The scorer will notify the referee when a team wishes to make a substitution. The scorer should not use a whistle, due to confusion with referee's signal. (The hand bell has proven to be most efficient.) Substitutions may also be made, without notifying the referee or scorer, at the beginning of each period.
Substitutions may be made only at the following times:
a) commencement of any period of play; b) before a foul shot or jump ball; c) after a time-out; d) before a throw-in.
Rule 15 - Time in the Key Rule
- The three-second area is a rectangular part of the key. (See diagram) If team A has possession of the ball, no member of that team may stand with either or both feet in this area for three seconds at any one time. If the ball has been shot, team A no longer has possession. (Neither team is in control.) Penalty: Ball becomes dead when violation occurs. Ball is awarded to a nearby opponent for a throw-in from a spot nearest the violation. For junior teams the time limit will be extended to 5 seconds.
Rule 16 - Travelling
- A player is travelling if: a) he takes more than 2 steps without dribbling; b) he lifts his pivot foot before the ball leaves his hand.
Rule 17 - Double Dribble
- A player may not dribble the ball again after he has already dribbled the ball and stopped. Note: A dribble ends when a player who is dribbling touches the ball with both hands at the same time or loses control of the ball or makes a try for a field goal.
Rule 18. Pivoting
- A player may pivot without travelling in the following manner: 1) Either foot may be the pivot foot if: a) the ball is received while the player is standing still; b) the ball is received while the player has both feet in the air and he alights with both feet touching the floor simultaneously. 2) The left foot may be the pivot foot (or the right foot may be the pivot foot - read and substitute "right" for "left") if: a) the ball is received while the player is in the air, and he lands on the left foot first; b) the ball is received while the player has his left foot off the ground.
Rule 19 - Palming the Ball
- A player "palms" the ball if, while dribbling, he turns the ball over in his hand. (i.e. "he scoops" the ball.)
Rule 20 - Goal Tending
- Occurs when a defensive player touches the rim or strings of the basket or blocks a shot while the ball is (a) on the rim (b) on a downward trajectory towards the basket and has a chance to go in. Penalty: Two points shall be awarded to the shooting team. (Referee should stop play immediately and ensure that the scorer is aware that two points are to be awarded to the shooting team.
Rule 21
- The referees are in complete control of the game at all times. Coaches are responsible for the discipline of their players - if a problem arises remind the coaches of this responsibility.
Rule 22
- Either Man to Man or Zone Defense will be allowed for senior tournaments. Only Man to Man defense will be permitted for Junior Tournaments. Offensive zone presses will still be permitted as well as double teaming but not in the defensive zone in junior tournaments.
Rule 23
- One Special Rule No full court (man to man) pressure allowed when a team is leading by ten or more points. Violation is a technical foul (two shot) against the offending team. REASON FOR THIS RULE. The rule is in to protect weaker teams.
Rule 24 - No free throw awarded for foul on the shot (Junior)
- the team that gets fouled on while shooting (and misses) will receive one point and will maintain possession.
- If a player is fouled and completes a successful basket, then that will be a three-point play (one point for the foul and two points for the basket) but the scoring team will not maintain possession.
Please review the rules of play with your team before the day of the tournament.
Review the concept of the "KEY" for the players.
Please be prepared to play all games with a 10 foot net (Junior & Senior).
Basketball tie breaking procedure for tournaments
#1 Head to Head
#2 Most Wins
#3 least points against
#4 point differential (F-A)
