Basketball Rules

•• Rules For All Sports: To be eligible for playoffs, participants must play in at least 3 regular season games for their team. The purpose of the League Rep(s) are not to referee the games. Team captains and their teams are expected to referee their own games accordingly and responsibly. League Rep(s) will step-in to make important calls and clarify rules at their own discretion. If issues arise, team captains are asked to speak with the League Rep(s). No players except for captains should approach the League Rep(s) with issues. ••

A. GENERAL

  1. Teams are advised to be at the courts 10 minutes before the game.
  2. A match will consist of two 25-minute halves with a 5-minute break between halves.
  3. Teams are comprised of 5 players with a minimum of 2 female players must be on the floor at all times. 
  4. Teams are comprised of 5 players on the court, with a minimum of 2 players of each gender that must be on the floor at all times. A team must field at least 4 players. If only 1 female player is present, the team must play with one less player. If NO female players are present, the team will automatically forfeit the game.
  5. There are no timeouts permitted.
  6. Team captains and players are required to self-officiate and call their own fouls.
  7. Regular season games may end in a tie. For playoff games, please refer to the Playoff Rules Page.
  8. The points differential applied to the standings will be a maximum or minimum of +/- 5.

B. GAMEPLAY

  1. Each game will begin with a jump ball — thrown by either the League Representative or another team member. The second half starts with the other team getting possession to start.
  2. Zone defence is not allowed. Players must only use person-to-person coverage on defence, rather than defending a specific area of the court. However, defensive players may leave their check momentarily if an offensive player with the ball enters their vicinity.
  3. Full court person-to-person pressure is permitted. However, if a team is leading by 15 points or more, players from that team are not allowed to apply full-court pressure and must wait for the ball to cross the half-court line. 
  4. Male players may not leave their feet to block a female player. If done so, the shot attempt will count as a made basket. However, a male player may block/interfere with the shot defensively if both feet are planted on the floor.
  5. Substitutions can be made on the fly, but only when the team has possession of the ball before crossing half court. 
  6. Two points are awarded for shots made within the three-point arc; three points are awarded for shots outside the arc. If a player’s foot touches the line during the act of shooting, it will result in two points.
  7. No free throws are allowed. All fouls will result in the team (which was fouled against) gaining possession of the ball from just inside the half-court line in the offensive zone.
  8. In the event of a jump ball (where two players are both holding the ball for 3 seconds), possession is awarded to the defending team.
  9. To ensure the safety of all players on the court, players are not allowed to dive on the floor to obtain control of the ball.

C. RULES / INFRACTIONS

  1. All standard basketball regulations apply, unless otherwise noted.
  2. Any form of contact is discouraged; players MUST do their best to avoid contact. Any elbow or arm-to-face contact by a defensive or offensive player is an automatic infraction — even if by accident. ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM FURTHER GAME PLAY.
  3. Over and back: If a team brings the ball over the half-court line into the offensive zone, and while still in their possession, a player plays the ball back across the line into their own half, the ball will be turned over. The other team will take possession on the sideline at half-court.
  4. Screens are permitted. However, an offensive player setting the pick must remain stationary at the moment of contact with the defender; a screen is illegal if the player setting the screen is moving while making contact. This will result in a turnover. Male players are not allowed to deliberately place a screen on female players. 
  5. If a player is fouled in the act of shooting and the basket is successfully completed, the points will still count and the possession will go to the defending team. (There is no “and one” play)
  6. If a player is on a clear path to the basket (ie. no defender is ahead of the offensive player who has control of the ball on a transition scoring opportunity) and is fouled, the team in possession will be given an automatic two points.
  7. Charging is not allowed. Players on offence may not drive through the defender (who must have both feet planted on the court) on their way to the basket. If a charge is too close to call or an agreement can not be made, possession is awarded to the defending team.

Last updated: September 7, 2024