Basketball League rules

Last updated:  2019 July

Overview
The game you likely grew up plaing in your driveway or at the park.  Now with some rules and a referee, but the focus is on sportsmanship, having fun, and socializing.  

Players

• All players must be listed on the roster and have signed the Be Social Richmond waiver for that league and season to participate       (waiver signature is completed during the online registration process)
• Players can only play for one team
• Players are required to wear the league t-shirt during games
• See the website FAQ section for what options you have if you do not have your league t-shirt for any reason
• See the website FAQ section for t-shirt alteration rules
• Safety gear (eye guards & mouth guard) is allowed
• All players are expected to play with good sportsman like conduct; after all this is a social league!
• All players are expected to respect their own team, their opponents, and the ref(s)

Players on the court:

• Each game, teams may field to a max of 5 players
• At minimum, teams must have at least 3 players before a game can begin
• Each team must field at minimum of 1 women for each game
• At max 3 men can be on the court at any time
• 3 points be awarded to the other team every 2 minutes from the start of the match (scheduled game time) until the opponent is able to field a legal team (max 30 points)
• Players may not sub while games are in progress
• Different players may start each game
• Valid starting lineups include but are not limited to
• 3 men and 2 women  (5 players)
• 2 men and 3 women  (5 players)
• 1 men and 4 women  (5 players)
• 0 men and 5 women  (5 players)
• 2 men and 1 woman  (3 players)
• 0 men and 3 women  (3 players)

Rosters

• There is no maximum number of players allowed on a team’s roster
• The minimum number of players is 10; recommended team size 12
• Players who register as singles may be added to teams with rosters smaller than 12 players (captains will be notified first)
• Additional players can be added to the roster anytime thru the start of the 3rd week of the season at the single registration price
• Captains are responsible for the conduct of everyone on their teams, ensuring all players are legal, and conform to league play standards

Teams

• Minimum 7 nights of two 20 minute halves Plus playoffs
• Subs - are strongly discouraged but effective 1 Oct 2016 subs will conditionally be allowed.  Following are the conditions:
  (1) Subs must arrive and speak to BSR staff at least 5 minutes before game published start time.  Subs will not be allowed after less than 5 minutes before game time.
  (2) Subs will need to wear an appropriate tshirt (see the league tshirt policy in the FAQ).  Subs wearing a non-qualifying shirt will not be allowed to participate
  (3) Subs will need to complete a Sub waiver form, BSR staff will have that form at the field
  (4) Subs will need to pay a $5 cash participation fee after signing the waiver and before playing.   Pay to the BSR staff that provided the waiver to be signed.  Bring exact $, we will be unable to break larger bills.  (1 $5 bill or 5 $1 bills, no change)
  (5) Subs will be expected to follow all league rules; we recommend subs review league rules before participating
  (6) Subs are NOT allowed to participate in end of season tournaments
  (7) Subs may not sub for more than one team for a given sports season
  (8) Subs may not sub more than two nights in any given sports season
  (9) Subs must complete a waiver and pay the sub participation fee each time they sub
• Teams caught with illegal players or subs will lose all match games for that night
• A second offense will result in the team being excluded from the playoffs

 Equipment & field setup

• Basketballs provided by BSR (used during game play)
• Personal game balls may be used ONLY if both teams agree on a ball
• And official basketball court will be used that will be painted w/ traditional lines (court boundaries: the paint, half court, free throw, and 3point lines)

League scoring, standings, seeding

• Regular season
• Teams can score points each night if they win more match games than their opponent (win = 3pts, tie = 1pt, loss = 0pt)
• There is no overtime during the regular season
• Teams can tie during the regular season
• If teams would like to avoid a regular season tie if both team captains agree they may play a quick game of Knock Out (see playoff rules)
• Playoffs
• Teams with one or more forfeits during the regular season will be excluded from the playoffs
• Teams caught using players that are not on their roster or whom were not signed up as legal subs will be excluded from the playoffs
• Seeding by: calculated points, Head to Head, winning %, coin flip
• Single elimination format unique each season, expect a “best of” mini match to advance
• No Ties in the playoffs; at the end of regulation ties will be broken by “Knock Out”
• The team captains will play rock, paper, scissors (1 game) to determine which team shoots first
• Each team will pick up to 5 players to play (max 3 male players) to participate
• Each player will be given 1 shot and points will be scored as
• 1 point inside the paint
• 2 points outside the paint but inside the 3 point line
• 3 points from outside the 3 point line but inside the half court line
• 5 points from beyond the half court line
  NOTE:  Extra points for female shots will not apply during Knock Out
• The team with the most points scored in Knock Out wins
• The team winning Knock Out will have two points added to their end of game total to get the win

Game rules

• Games are full court
• A nightly match will consist of two 20 minute halves
• Teams will get 2 thirty second time outs per half
• The clock will run throughout the game
• In the last two minutes of the game, the clock will stop for fouls and time-outs as long as the game is under a 15-point spread
• Injuries during the game will result in stoppage of time
• Teams will switch sides each half
• Dunking is not allowed!!
• Dunking will result in a technical foul assessed
• The game begins with a jump ball in center court by a female player
• Possessions will be alternated throughout the game
• The team who loses the jump ball will get the ball first in the second half
• There can only be 5 players on the court at a time
• Substitutions may occur throughout the game on the fly as needed
• If a team has more than 5 players on the court at any given time, the other team will get 2 foul shots and possession will go back to the team who had the ball when the violation occurred
• There will be a shot clock of 35 seconds; referees may remind teams to play if they notice a team holding the ball
• Defense may play man-on-man or zone and teams may switch their style of defense as needed throughout the game
• Male players can only play man-to-man on another male player unless the opposing team is starting more than two female players
• Scoring will follow NCAA rules for males with
• 2 points given for field goals
• 3 points for shots behind the three-point line
• 1 point for each foul shot
• Female players will get an additional point for each basket made  (3 points for field goals, 4 points for shots behind the three-point line, and 2 points for each foul shot)
• Basic NCAA basketball rules for backcourt violations, travelling, double dribbling, out of bounds, kick balls, use of hands/hips, 3 seconds in the lane, 5 seconds holding the ball, and moving screens, etc. will apply
• The first team to the field chooses their side  (Teams will not switch sides)

Fouls / Penalties: (only ref’s can call/fouls and enforce penalties)

• All personal and technical fouls are given at the discussion of the referee of the game.
• Only team fouls will be tracked.
• Once a team gets 7 team fouls, the opposing team gets a one-and-one foul shot opportunity.
• Once a team gets 10 team fouls, the opposing team gets two foul shots.
• Team fouls reset at halftime.
• Players with excessive, hard, or intentional fouls will be tossed from that nights game at the referees discretion.  (warnings may or may not be given first; this is a SOCIAL league)

Free-throws:

• Offense will have the shooter plus two players inside of the box
• Defense can have up to four inside the box
• All other players must stand behind the three-point line
• Players may not enter the box or come inside of the three-point line until the ball hits the rim. Violation of this rule will result in an additional free-throw by the shooter.

Personal Fouls may also include:

• Yelling or arguing at a ref
• Taunting or being disrespectful to the opposing team
• Delay of game situations such as repeatedly touching the ball after it goes through the net
• Unsportsmanlike behavior.

Technical Fouls:

• Result in 2 foul shots by anyone on the opposing team and possession of the ball.
• Flagrant and intentional fouls will be treated the same as technical fouls
• Two technical fouls will result in immediate ejection. Intentional fouls may also result in immediate ejection at the discrepancy of the ref.
• Basketball is a noncontact sport. Any excessive contact by a player will result in a technical foul.
• Profanity is not allowed at U-Turn. Excessive profanity will result in a technical foul.
• Players who are ejected must leave U-Turn immediately. Players who are ejected two times in the same season are suspended for the remainder of the season.

Referee 2 minute "cool down" - The referees are empowered at their discretion to call out players for a two minute cool down.  This is not a foul.  There is no penalty to the team.  This is simply sending one or more players to the bench for a period of time so they can cool down.  This will be enforced when the referees begin to notice players becoming aggressive (playing aggressively).  Consider this as a warning.  The referees may assess one or more cool downs on a player in a night.  This can lead to but does not have to mean a player would get ejected from a game.   Again, take this for what it is; a warning.  NOTE:  BSR will error on the side of over assessing cool downs than allow play to become aggressive.  

Ejections:

• At their discretion ref’s may eject players from games or remaining matches for the night
• Ejected players will be evaluated for eligibility to play the following week (up to league expulsion) by the head ref and owner by the day before the next league games the week after the ejection occurred.
• Electable infractions include but are not limited to
• Intentionally throwing a ball at a ref
• Throwing the ball with the intention to harm (above the shoulders)
• Abusive language **
• Arguing **
• Unacceptable verbal or visual acts **
• Abuse of the “honor call” **

**At the ref’s discretion they may first give a warnings for these infractions, although a warning is not required. Everyone playing is an adult and is expected to maintain themselves in an orderly manner.

Expect any rule not explicitly called out to generally follow NCAA basketball rules; feel free to ask us

• The ref’s are there to facilitate the game, keep score, make calls, and monitor the time for the game

Safety

PLAYER SAFETY IS ALWAYS THE #1 PRIORITY

• The referees, at their discretion, can remove a player from the game if they feel the player presents a safety concern to themselves, other players, referees, or anyone else.
• If you have a concern about safety, please bring it to the referee's attention and they will determine if the player should be removed from play until they correct the safety concern.
• Once the player has resolved the safety concern to the referee's satisfaction, they can return to playing.
• Safety concerns include but are not limited to
• A player who has blood on themselves or their clothing
• A player who has an un-bandaged open wound
• A player playing with broken or improper equipment

All ref decisions are final (team captains may email info@besocialrichmond.com to protest)

All rules are subject to change when and as needed by BSR staff