Tournament – Official Rules

Updated on 12/25/ 2013

10 point penalty

Each team will be assigned Clock & Stat duties. Failure to appear for your Clock & Stat duties will result in a 10 point penalty, which will be assessed on the team’s next game.

All Games duration 8 minute four Quarters

• Four 8 Minute Quarters all games
  • Overtime: 2 minutes
  • Clock stoppage: In 2^nd half the ball will stop on all dead balls in last 2 minutes playoff games (free throws, fouls and made baskets) if point differential is 10 points and under.
  • Shot clock: 24 seconds
  • Timeouts: 2 non-floating timeouts per half
    • Remaining timeouts from first half do not carry over into the second half
    • One additional timeout awarded per each overtime; available timeouts carry over
    • Timed Violations:
      • 3-second violation: An offensive player is not permitted to have any part of his body remain in paint for more than 3 consecutive seconds while ball is in front court.
      • 5-second violation: Players have 5 seconds to inbound ball. 5-second clock is applicable until ball completely leaves hand(s) of inbounding player.
      • 8-second violation: Players must bring up ball past half court before 8 seconds expire.
      • Closely Guarded violation: In front court, and if guarded by defender within 6 feet, an offensive player staying in one spot can hold or dribble ball for only up to 5 seconds.
      • Ball advancement: Teams can advance ball to half court during any timeout
      • Possession arrow: Team that wins opening tip will have possession at the start of the 4^th quarter. The opposing team will have possession at the beginning of 2^nd and 3^rd quarters.
      • Jump-ball: For every jump-ball situation, officials will have an actual jump-ball.
      • Player fouls: 6 fouls per each player
        • In-game technical fouls count as personal fouls
        • Non-playing technical fouls do not count as personal fouls
        • Charging/Illegal Screens:

• Charging fouls will not give special consideration to “restricted” areas under basket.

• Committing charging foul or illegal screen/moving pick will count towards player’s Personal Foul total and Team Foul total, but will NEVER result in free throws.

• Blocking:

• Blocking fouls will not give special consideration to “restricted” areas under basket.

• Committing blocking foul will count towards player’s Personal Foul total, and Team Foul total

• Blocking foul committed while offensive player is in act of shooting will result in free throws being awarded.

• Clear Path Foul:

• Fouling (without making play on ball) any offensive player who is on fast-break without any other defender between him and basket results in 2 free throws plus possession.

• Team fouls: Once a team reaches 5 fouls, the opposing team will shoot two free throws (double bonus).
  • Team foul count resets at the start of each quarter.
  • Team fouls do not reset in overtime.
  • Offensive fouls count as non-shooting, team fouls
  • In the last two minutes of every quarter, a team that has more than 1 foul to give will automatically only have 1 foul to give.
  • Face Guarding: Face guarding is prohibited during MBL & SCMCO Tournament.  A player cannot mask an opposing player’s vision with their hand while dribbling or shooting. First offense is a warning; second is a player technical foul.

Technical fouls:

*Assessed when:

• Disrespectfully addressing, contacting, or gesturing towards referee.
• Using profanity or any foul language. CURSING will not be tolerated no matter the intention.
  • This technical foul can be called by any member of the Administration Committee who is not playing in that particular game.
• Taunting, baiting, ridiculing, or making obscene gestures toward another player or toward bench.
• Face guarding (first offense is a warning)
• Time-out called with no remaining time-outs
• Other in-game situations at referee discretion.
• Failure to provide stat keeping volunteers/players
• Jersey/T-shirt violations
• Penalty:
  • A technical foul results in 2 free throws (both to be shot by one player of opposing team’s choice AND possession to opposing team).
  • Technical fouls count toward player’s 6 fouls for disqualification AND toward team foul total.
  • When double technical fouls are committed, no free throws will be shot.
  • 1 technical  = 2 minute suspension from gameplay
  • 2 technical = ejection from game
  • Flagrant Fouls:

-Assessed when:

• Severely or excessively contacting an opponent during live ball or dead ball.
• Other in-game situations at referee discretion.
• Penalty:
  • Flagrant foul results in 2 free throws to offended player plus possession of ball and will count toward offender’s Team Foul Total.  Offender will also be ejected.
  • Double-flagrant foul will result in no free throws or change of possession but will count towards Team Fouls. Both offenders will be ejected.
  • Fighting:

-Fighting, includes, but is not limited to:

• Trying to strike an opponent with arms, hands, legs, or feet with intention of punching, kicking, pushing or shoving, regardless of whether contact is made.
• Instigating fight by committing an unsportsmanlike act toward an opponent that may cause opponent to retaliate.
• A player who retaliates is subject to these same rules.
• Any act of fighting will be ruled a flagrant foul and receive similar punishment.
• When fight has occurred, referees will determine individuals who were involved in fight and any players that left bench to escalate fight.
• Bans
  • Players involved in fights are also subject to immediate ban or removal from any and all activity.
  • Free Throws:
    • Positions during Free Throw Attempt:
      • 1st space on each side of lane will remain empty. 2nd and 4th spaces are for defensive players. 3rd space is for offensive players. All others must be behind free-throw line extended and behind 3-point arc.
      • Free-throw shooter has 10 seconds to shoot after being given ball.
      • If free-throw shooter is injured, substitute player will shoot free throws. If there are no substitutes, then any player already checked into game can shoot free throws.
•  Violations:
  • Free-throw shooter cannot cross free-throw line until ball strikes rim only.
  • Players along lane may not enter lane until free-thrower has released ball. Players behind 3-point arc cannot cross 3-point arc until ball strikes rim or backboard.
• Violation Penalties:
  • If offensive player commits violation, basket will not count. Ball will become dead and opposing team will be given possession.
  • If defensive player commits violation, basket will count if made and will be re-attempted if missed.
  • If both teams commit violation simultaneously, ball will become dead, no point will be scored, and possession will be determined by a jump-ball.
  • For and-ones, or final shot of sequential free throws: missed free throws must hit at least rim or it is violation.
  • Substitutions:
    • A substitute must report to scorer’s table to enter game.
    • After notifying scorer’s table, player may only enter game during dead ball: referee whistle, free throw, timeout, jump-ball, and out of bounds.
    • Substitutions during free-throws may enter:
      • On automatic 2- and 3-shot free-throws: only immediately before last free throw.
      • On And-1 free throws: before free throw.
      • Players must remain in designated bench area. If you are not substituting you are not permitted near scorer’s table.
      • Jerseys/Shirts: Teams must be in matching, approved jerseys/shirts at all times.
      • Forfeits: Any team that forfeits a game will receive an automatic 25-point loss. Winning teams will gain a 25-point victory.
      • Referee’s Rights
        • ALL REFEREE DECISIONS ARE FINAL
        • Referees will instruct scorekeeper to put correct time and/or score on game clock when in doubt.
        • Referees will make final decision on buzzer beaters
        • Referees can confirm or discuss league rules with the Admin at the scorer’s table; however Admins DO NOT have the right to overturn any referee decisions.
        • EXCEPTION: Non-playing admin CAN call technical fouls on players for cursing.

 Gametime Details

(1)   Teams are required to have a minimum of FOUR (4) players at the start of the game.

(2)   Each team is granted a 5-minute grace period from the time the previous game ended. After 5 minutes, the game is officially considered a forfeit.

(3)   Forfeit losses are equivalent to a 0-25 final score.

 Playoffs

ALL teams will be advance to Playoffs. The rankings for the Playoffs will be determined by results from Season/Group games. (Please refer to the Playoffs Chart for exact format).

All Top teams may get a “BY” in the first round of Playoffs in All Division.

For teams with the same regular season records, the following criteria will be used to determine Playoff rankings in this specific order:

(1)     Head-to-Head Competition – If teams played each other in the regular season, the winning team will emerge as the winner of the tie-breaker.  Should 2 or more teams share the same record, total head-to-heads will be factored. If for any reason, all teams involved in a tie breaker have not played all teams with an identical record, admin shall proceed to rule 2.

(2)     Point Differential – If head-to-head is unable to be considered, point differential (total points scored minus total points allowed) will be tallied for all respective teams. Teams with the highest point differential will win the tie-breaker. If for any reason, point differential is unable to determine a clear-cut winner, admin shall proceed to rule 3.

(3)     Points Scored – If point differential is unable to break a tie, total points scored across the entire season will be used to determine the winner.