ENCORE BASKETBALL LEAGUE RULES
GENERAL RULES FOR ALL DIVISIONS:
Players must be currently registered in the current season to participate in any league activities. This includes the completion of waiver release forms and code of ethics signed by the player’s parent(s) or guardian(s).
Players are not allowed to register for a division they have aged out of. Players who would like to play in an older division must have their registration pre-approved by SASF staff.
Players must wear their league issued uniform in order to participate in league activities.
Participants are not allowed to wear jewelry (with the exception of medical bracelets and stud earrings that must be fully covered), casts or any other items deemed as dangerous by the official(s). Any medical protective devices (i.e., knee braces) made of plastic or including metal parts (hinges, etc.) must be completely covered by at least ½ inch neoprene sleeves.
Parents are not allowed to be on the field of play with the exception of a player being injured. Parents also may not be on the team’s bench/sideline unless they are a coach and cleared through the commissioner.
Any player with a bleeding wound and/or blood stained clothing must leave the game until all bleeding is stopped, all wounds properly covered, and all blood and blood stained clothing is removed.
Any coaches or players failing to comply with the officials decision concerning the cleanup of a bleeding wound or blood stained clothing shall be ejected from the game. Any ejection will follow with a one (1) game suspension from the following week’s game. A second such ejection will result in suspension for the remainder of the season.
The ENCORE BASKETBALL LEAGUE will follow the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) rule book, unless otherwise noted.
All rules, changes, or exceptions to rules are subject to the League Commissioner's final decision.
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
a. All players must be registered in the ENCORE BASKETBALL League before participating in any league activities. This includes the completion of waiver release forms, payment and code of ethics signed by the participant’s parent(s) or guardian(s).
b. Participants are only allowed to play on one (1) team per season, unless there is a league approved trade.
c. Participants must be between the ages of five (5) and fifteen (15) in order to participate in league play. The division in which a player participates in should be determined by the player’s age as of the first game. Players must be 5 years of age by the first game.
d. All players will receive a reversible ENCORE jersey. If necessary, jerseys can be replaced for a fee of $25, if extra jerseys are available. Players may wear a t-shirt or jersey of the same team color if a replacement jersey is not available.
e. Teams are composed of a minimum of five (5) and maximum of TWELVE (12) players. Five players per team play on the court in all divisions as per league rules.
f. Players will be assessed and placed onto teams by coaches and general managers during the player evaluation day held prior to the start of the season. This does not apply to Division 4, (5-6 year olds). They will automatically be placed on a team by the League Manager.
g. The League Manager or Commissioner may add or move players to teams as necessary.
h. Each team will be allocated a time for one practice before the season begins at their game site. Practices will not be more than one hour long. Additional practices will be on each individual team to establish outside of the league.
j. Each team is allowed one head coach and one assistant coach who have fulfilled coaching requirements. These are the only two people that are allowed to be on the bench and must be in proper coaches’ attire. Coaches will be allowed to add one coach upon approval of the Commissioner following the player draft and team assignments.
k. Only players and coaches are allowed on the bench. The only exception to this is if a parent is tending to their injured child.
l. Division 4: Coaches will be allowed to coach on the floor, but only 1 coach per team is allowed on the court. Please be sure to stay out of the key. No exceptions
n. Players will be broken down into the following divisions based on their age as of the first game:
i. Division 4: 5-6 (coed)
ii. Division 3: 7-8 (coed)
iii. Division 2: 9-11 (coed)
iv. Division 1: 12-15 (coed)
2. ATTIRE
a. All players must wear athletic style footwear with non-marking soles. No hard-soled shoes, socks, open-toed shoes, or bare feet are allowed on the court. Players without appropriate footwear will not be allowed to participate.
b. All players will wear and tuck in their jerseys during play, and all shorts/pants need to be worn and tied at waist level. An official may stop the game in order to have a player fix their jersey. If one particular player continues to have a “uniform issue,” and has been warned at least 2 times, then the official may charge/use one of their team’s time outs as an additional consequence.
3. GAME TIMING
a. Game Clock:
i. All games will be 40 minutes long. 20 minute Halves. During the first half every 5 min is a substitution dead ball. The 2nd half is straight 20 minutes for Divisions 1 and 2. Divisions 3 and 4 continue the 5 minute substitution stops.
ii. There will be a 2 minute break at halftime.
Iii. Overtime is won with whoever scores next point.
b. Time Outs:
i. Each team shall be given, two 60 seconds long time-outs per half. A technical foul will be assessed for any additional time-outs called by a team.
ii. The clock will stop on all time-outs.
iii. Either the head coach or a player on the court may ask the official for a time-out.
iv. Time-outs may only be called during a dead-ball situation or by the team in control of the ball during play.
c. Divisions 1 & 2:
i. if the score is within ten points or less, standard high school rules are applied during the final 2 minutes of the game:
ii. Clock will stop on all dead ball situations during.
4. GAME RULES
a. Officials:
i. Officials shall have a pre-game discussion with both teams and/or their coaches. The discussion shall include and is not limited to:
1. Expected player conduct, rule clarification, and confirmation of substitution sheet being turned in.
2. Coaches should shake hands at the end of the pre-game meeting
b. Substitutions:
i. A team must have four (4) players to start the game. A team can finish with as few as three (3) players if they lose players due to disqualification, injury, or some other unforeseen circumstance.
ii. All players on the court must be subbed out during substitution stops.
iii. Each player must play in one of the 5 minute periods. For Division 3 and 4 Each player must play in at least 2 of the 5 min periods.
iv. For Division 1 and 2 there are no substitution requirements during the 2nd half and playoff games.
v. Game rosters are finalized by set start time.
vi. If a player is late to the game the coach has to make the decision whether or not to allow the player to play at all or add them to the game roster. If a player is added to the game roster they are still required to receive either their 1 or 2 (depending on division) mandatory 5 min play periods.
c. Free Throws:
1. On all shooting fouls, the player will receive 1 point and shoot one free throw (2 points for the made free throw on 3 point shots).
2. If the player is fouled in the act of shooting and the basket goes in, the team will receive 3 points (4 points on a 3-point attempt) and no free throws will be taken.
3. All common fouls will be taken out of bounds until you reach the 7 th foul.
4. On the 7th team foul, the offensive team will be in the bonus and will get 1 point and then shoot 1 free throw.
5. There is NO DOUBLE BONUS
6. Players in marked lane spaces may move into the key when the ball is released by the free throw shooter.
d. Jump Ball:
i. Divisions 1-3:
1. Jump ball will determine the first possession
2. Other jump ball/held-ball situations will be played from out-of-bounds with each team alternating possession.
3. First possession of the 2nd half will go to the team who does not control the opening possession.
ii. Divisions 4:
1. The home team receives the first possession.
2. Other jump ball/held-ball situations will be played from out-of-bounds with each team alternating possession.
3. First possession of the 2nd half will go to the visiting team who does not control the opening possession.
e. Defensive Rules:
i. In Division 1 & 2 teams can play man to man or zone defense.
1. Full court pressing is allowed Divisions 1 & 2.
ii. In Division 3 teams can only play man to man defense. No zone defense is allowed.
1. Proper defensive stances and positioning will be a focus by coaches, officials and players.
2. Full court press can only be used in the second half. (Must stay man to man)
iii. In Division 4 teams can only play man to man defense. No zone defense is allowed.
1. Proper defensive stances and positioning will be a focus by coaches, officials and players.
2. The ball cannot be stolen directly from the ball handler.
3. There is no double teaming of a ball handler outside of the key.
4. Full court press can only be used in the second half. (Must stay man to man)
f. Fouls:
i. Technical Foul: any infraction of the rules penalized which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between opposing players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player will be assessed as a technical foul. Consequences for technical fouls are as follows:
1. First Technical Foul – Opposing team is awarded two points and will receive the ball out of bounds.
2. Second Technical Foul (committed in same game) – Opposing team is awarded two points, and will receive the ball. The individual is removed for the remainder of that game. Individual will meet with the League Commissioner before being permitted to return.
3. Third Technical Foul (committed in the same season) – The individual is removed for the remainder of that game and is suspended for the next game. Individual will meet with the League Commissioner before being permitted to return.
4. Four Technical Fouls (committed in one season) – Player will be suspended from participation in the ENCORE BASKETBALL LEAGUE for the remainder of the season.
ii. Flagrant Fouls: a personal foul that involves excessive or violent contact that could injure the fouled player. In the event of a flagrant foul:
1. The game will be stopped. Opposing team is awarded two points, and will receive the ball the player will be sat out or ejected from the game at the officials’ discretion.
iii. If an individual is ejected from the game, they must leave the building/parking lot. ENCORE BASKETBALL will not tolerate irate parents, coaches, or fans; they will be directed to leave if an official or staff member believes their conduct is unsportsmanlike.
iv. Any coaches, players, or fans ejected from the game they are also suspended from the game the following week. League Manager and Commissioner will deal with all suspensions on an individual basis. All decisions are final.
v. Coaches are responsible for the actions of their players and fans. Officials may ask the coach to address unsportsmanlike conduct by parents and spectators.
5. ROSTER RULES
i. Each team will have a maximum of 12 players on the team.
ii. If a player quits the league the team can replace the player with someone from the free agency list.
iii. Players can only play for one team.
Trades can be made through the approval of the League Commissioner.
iv. If a player quits a team they will not be refunded their registration funds.
v. Roster movement is completely closed by playoffs.