NATIONAL FEDERATION BASKETBALL RULES SHALL GOVERN PLAY WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS:

 

BALL SIZE AND GOAL HEIGHT

            8.  1st and 2nd grade league will play with a Junior size ball (27.5) and goals will be lowered to eight feet.

 

FREE-THROW LINE

            9.  In the 1st-2nd grade leagues, free throws will be shot from the bottom of the free-throw circle.

 

LANE VIOLATIONS

            10.  For three-seconds-in-the lane violations in all leagues, the lane will begin at the bottom of the free throw line for that league.

 

TIME-OUTS

            11.  Coaches will be allowed to call for time outs from the sideline.  30-second time-outs will not be utilized in LGB games.  Each team will be allowed four (4) 1-minute time-outs during regulation play.  One (1) additional time-out is awarded per team during overtime.

 

3 POINT SHOT

            12.  3-point shots are allowed if the court is marked with a 3-point line.

 

JEWELRY

            13.  No jewelry of any kind including pierced earrings or piercing studs may be worn.  No metal or other hard objects may be worn in the hair.

 

TIME LIMITS

            14.  1st and 2nd grade league will use a “running clock”.  The clock will only stop for: (1) time-outs, (2) shooting fouls, (3) injuries ,(4) on the whistle the last 2 minutes of the 4th quarter, and (5) at any time the referee sees a need.  Games will consist of 4 six-minute quarters.  There will be at least one-minute allowed between quarters and overtime periods, and three minutes at half-time.  Teams will be given at least five minutes to warm-up.

                        14a. “Mercy Rule” – If a team is up by more than 15 points in the final 2 minutes of the game, the clock will stay a running clock.

 

OVERTIME

      15. If a game is tied at the end of regulation play, an overtime period(s) of two-minutes will be played and the clock will stop on the whistle.  If the score is still tied at the end of the first overtime period, the first team to score in the second, or any subsequent, overtime period will be the winner (sudden death). One (1) additional time-out is awarded per team per overtime period.  Timeouts, if not used, will carry over from one period to the next.

 

NUMBER OF COACHES

            16.  No more than three coaches are allowed on a team's bench during a game.  All coaches and assistant coaches must be approved by the board.  Please maintain only one coach standing at a time.

 

 

 

NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON A TEAM

 

            1.  In the 1st and 2nd grade league, a team will consist of no less than 7 players nor more than 9.  The board may grant exceptions to this rule as it deems appropriate.

 

REQUIRED PLAYING TIME

 

            2.  All 1st and 2nd grade players are required to play two complete quarters from start to finish (2 quarter rule).  THERE WILL BE NO FREE SUBSTITUTIONS IN THE FIRST HALF EXCEPT WHEN AN INJURY HAS OCCURRED AND THE PLAYER CAN NO LONGER CONTINUE TO PLAY.  All players are required to sit out one complete quarter from start to finish (1 quarter sit out rule).  No player may play in more than three quarters (3 quarter rule). Refusal by either coach to abide by these rules is subject to protest, which could result in a forfeiture.  There are four exceptions to these rules:

 

                        2a. An injury prevents a player from finishing a quarter.  In this situation, the injured player is considered to have played the complete quarter for the purposes of the “2 quarter rule”.  The player substituted for the injured player must still comply with the “2 quarter rule”, “3 quarter rule” and “1 quarter sit out rule”.  Because of the restrictive requirements of the playing time rules, an injured player may continue in the game even though her coach has been called onto the floor to attend the injured player.  Also, the injured player’s coach may choose to complete the quarter with only 4 players on the floor.

 

                        2b.  Fewer than seven players are present at the start of a game.  In this situation, the "1 quarter sit out rule" and the "3 quarter rule" are waived for only the shorthanded teams.  Late arrivals do not reinstate the "1 quarter sit out rule" or the "3 quarter rule", unless that player arrives during the first quarter.  The 2 quarter rule is still in effect.

 

                        2c.  Only 4 eligible players remain as a result of fouls or injury.  When a team has only four eligible players, a player who has already played in 3 quarters may re-enter the game.  In this situation, the "3 quarter rule" and the "1 quarter sit out rule" are waived for the now shorthanded team. 

 

                        2d.  The "3 quarter rule" does not apply to overtime periods.

 

                        2e. The commissioner(s) of the league will monitor playing time through the scorebook to ensure total amount of quarters played for player is reasonably close.  This is to ensure no single player is receving the vast majority of the extra quarters played under the 3 quarter rule.  This method has worked well in lieu of the draw (see section 4) the last few years.  Beginning in 2018,  coaches will receive a quarter count for their team weekly to assist with making playing time reasonably close.

 

            3.  At the start of a game, should a team have 4 players, the game will start with 4 vs 4.

Should a fifth player arrive before the first quarter, 5 vs 5 basketball will commence at the start of the 2nd quarter.  Should a fifth player arrive after that point, the game will continue in it's entirety, 4 vs 4.  

 

 

THE "DRAW"

 

            4.  The “Draw” is a mainstay of LGB competition to assist in levelling the competitive playing field. However, through the late 2015 season, all of 2016, and all of 2017, the Draw has fell into disuse in the 1st/2nd grade division.  Should a situation arise where the Draw needs to be reinstated, the commissioners of the league, in consolutation with the board, will distribute the information necessary for this rule to the coaches and other stake holders.  This can happen at any time with LGB Board Approval.

 

 

LATE ARRIVALS - NO SHOWS

 

            5.  In the 1st and 2nd grade leagues, each player is required to play 2 complete quarters from start to finish - "2 quarter rule".  ANY PLAYER ARRIVING AFTER THE START OF THE GAME BUT BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD QUARTER WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE GAME IF THE COACH CAN COMPLY WITH THE "2 quarter rule".   LATE ARRIVALS WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE "SAT OUT" THE FIRST QUARTER FOR PURPOSES OF THE "1 quarter sit out rule".  ANY PLAYER ARRIVING AFTER THE START OF THE THIRD QUARTER WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE GAME.  There is no penalty for adding a late arriving player to the scorebook.  No shows will be recorded in the scorebook as appropriate. 

 

DEFENSE

 

            6.  No full court press will be allowed in the 1st and 2nd grade league.  For the first two violations of this rule, the offensive team will be allowed a 5-foot unhindered throw-in at the mid-court sideline.  On the third and all subsequent violations a technical foul will be assessed against the pressing team.

 

7.  A “double team free zone” will be implemented.  This will include all areas outside the current offensive 3 point line.  As the name suggests, double teaming will not be permitted in this zone.  The consideration for Double Teaming will be at the officials discretion, however, it will be implied that a play on the ball handler must be made by a second defensive player, as opposed to just standing close (i.e. another defensive player guarding an offensive player without the ball who happens to be very close to the ball handler).  Exceptions and details outlined below.
***NOTE: RULE 7 AND SUBRULES ARE PROVISIONAL FOR THE 2018 SEASON.  The commissioner and officials, in consultation with the coaches, will review this rule at seasons end. If an immediate need arises, it can be changed mid-season with board approval***

 

7a. The zone only becomes valid once ALL OFFENSIVE players have crossed half court.  Therefore, it will not be enforced on transitional plays.  Doing so would interfere in the teaching of the girls to “stop the basketball” in transitional defense.  If the progress of the offensive player is stopped in the zone, double teaming must cease once all offensive players come across half court, with a verbal warning from the official before penalties are assessed.

 

7b. The zone becomes invalid in a loose ball situation.  It will once again become valid  if the offensive team regains possession of the ball, with a verbal warning from the official before penalties are assessed.

 

7c. Once the three point line is crossed, the zone becomes invalid for the rest of the possession.

 

7d. Violations: For the first two violations of this rule, the offensive team will be allowed a 5-foot unhindered throw-in at the mid-court sideline.  On the third and all subsequent violations a technical foul will be assessed against the pressing team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIFORMS

 

            17.  After completion of league practice games, no player will be allowed to play in a game unless she is in full LGB-issued uniform (numbers 0 through 9 or any other number approved by the LGB uniform committee chairman or LGB board may be used).  Permenant exceptions must be granted by the uniform committee chairman.  A temporary exception may be granted by the league commissioner.  Refer to the National Federation rules for the wearing of compression, sanitary or bike shorts.

 

 

Changes
1/26/2017 – Removed Draw, Added provision to start games at 4x4, adjust required playing time rule, Removed no double team beyond 3-pt line, Added section on playing Half Court Defense, added mention of one standing coach

11/19/17 – Made nearly all changes from 1/26/17 permenant, except defensive play rules, which require further modification as noted.  “The Draw” still receives a section to allow flexibility of re-adding it should it become necessary.  Removed previous defense rules in favor of a new method.  Added one minute to the quarters.  Also inserted a small Mercy Rule.  Fixed grammar and spelling mistakes.