League Rules

All games will be played under the rules followed by the National Federation of High School Basketball with exceptions noted below.

1. Ball size & hoop height:
2. K-1 grade (boys & girls) uses a 27.5" basketball and 8 ft. hoop.
3. 2-3 grade (boys & girls) grade uses a 28.5" basketball and 9 ft. hoop.
4. 4-5 grade (boys & girls) use 28.5" basketball and 10 ft. hoop.
5. 6th-12th grade use 29.5" basketball and 10 ft. hoop.
6. Only one head coach and one assistant coach are allowed on the bench.
7. Two Twenty-Minute Halves.
8. The clock stops only on Time Outs and Last Minute of the Game if the lead is 10 points or less.
9. Two 30-second Time Outs per half; Time Outs do not carry over.
10. Overtime
11. 1 minute - first overtime.
12. Sudden Death (First to Score) – second overtime.
13. All players MUST play at least 20 minutes each game. See points of emphasis for clarification below.
14. All players can commit up to 6 fouls in a game. That includes both regular fouls and technicals. Once a player hits 6, they're out for the rest of the game.
15. One and one free throws on the 7th foul of each half and double bonus on the 10th foul of each half.
16. Technical fouls result in 2 free throws and possession of the ball.
17. Full-court press and any defense is permitted (4th grade and up).
18. 2-3 grade division must play half-court man-to-man defense for the first 30 minutes then any defense in the last 10 minutes. During the first 30 minutes, players cannot “help off” of their man until the player penetrates the paint (free throw lane area). See points of emphasis for clarification below.
19. 2-3, 4-5 grade division free throw shooters can jump across the free throw line without penalty.
20. All divisions – No full-court press after a 10-point lead.

Reference Event Code of Conduct for expected behaviors from players, parents, and coaches.

Why This Rule Exists:

• Makes rotations simple and consistent for coaches
• Ensures fair and easy enforcement of the 20-minute minimum
• Guarantees every player gets meaningful game time
• Helps referees and parents clearly track playing time
• Supports our goal of maintaining a competitive and development-focused league

How It Works

• Automatic Substitutions Every 5 Minutes
• Referees will stop play (except during fast breaks or active shots) at the 15-, 10-, and 5-minute marks of each half to allow for substitutions.
• Who Must Sub In?
• 10-player teams: Everyone on the court must come off at each substitution break.
• Teams with fewer than 10 players: Each player must sit out at least one 5-minute segment. No player may play more than 35 minutes total unless the team only has 5 players.
• No Mid-Interval Subs
• Substitutions are not allowed during the 5-minute intervals unless due to injury or a player fouling out.

This system keeps things fair, consistent, and easy to track—so every player gets their time on the court.

Man-to-Man Defense Required (First 30 Minutes)

• Teams must play man-to-man defense for the first 30 minutes of the game.
• Defenders must stay within arm’s length of the player they are guarding.
• Help defense is only allowed when the ball-handler enters the free-throw lane area AKA the paint.

No Clear-Out Offenses

• Offenses may not isolate one player by placing them on one side of the court while the other four are on the opposite side.
• If this happens, the defense may switch to help defense freely.

Penalties for Violations

• First offense: Warning
• Second offense: Technical foul — 2 free throws and possession awarded to the other team

These rules are designed to encourage proper defensive positioning, teamwork, and fairness in early gameplay development.

At this age level, we take a best-practice approach to youth basketball. Our primary focus is on teaching the fundamentals, building confidence, and helping kids fall in love with the game.

Our Approach

We emphasize development over competition. The goal at this level is to create a positive learning environment where kids can build a strong foundation that will serve them in later years.

Game Format

• 4-on-4 controlled play: Players match up man-to-man and must pick up their opponent behind half court. This allows for more space, more touches, and better learning opportunities.
• 8-Foot Hoops: All games are played on lowered 8-foot goals. This helps develop proper shooting form and gives players a better chance at success.
• Scorekeeping: For end-of-season tournament seeding purposes, we do keep score during games, but individual stats are not recorded at this level.
• Rules & Learning: We introduce and enforce basic rules like traveling and double dribbling from the start to help players learn the game the right way. That said, we can’t call every violation—doing so would leave little actual playing time. Referees will call common violations and use them as teaching moments, focusing on building good habits over time, not perfection.

Final Note to Parents & Coaches

We encourage you to trust and embrace the process. Every part of the format is intentional and designed to give your child the best start in their basketball journey. Let’s build the love of the game, one bounce at a time.