Basketball Rules

PLAYING AREA:

  • Basketball games are played on a single court.  Boundary line widths vary depending on venue.

 

REFS:

  • OSSO will provide a Ref for all games.  
  • Arguing with Refs will not be tolerated and may result in technical fouls, ejection & suspension.

 

EQUIPMENT:

  • OSSO will provide one regulation 29.5” game basketball for each court.  An alternate game ball may be used if agreed to by both captains.
  • Athletic shoes with non-marking soles are required while on the court.
  • The following items are not permitted:
    • Athletic braces or casts made from hard, unyielding material (unless covered on all sides and edges with at least ½ inch of closed cell slow recovery rubber or similar material)
    • Headgear containing hard, unyielding, or stiff material (including billed hats)
    • Jewelry (except for smooth wedding bands)

 

CODE OF CONDUCT:

  • Lighthearted trash talking is ok.
  • Any angry personal profanity (I.E. “F You”) will dictate an immediate ejection for that player.
    • A second event with that same player will cause a rest of season suspension for that player
    • Repeated offenses by the same team will result in the entire team being suspended rest of season
  • Your team is responsible for your guests. 
    • They need to follow the code of conduct or your team can be made to forfeit or possibly suspended or expelled from the league due to your spectators. 
  • Only captains are permitted to communicate about game situations with the referees.
    • If you don’t have a “C” on your shoulder, stay silent!
  • If there is a dispute about score or rules question, a captain may ask for a meeting with the opposing captain and the ref to get the call right.
  • Score will be kept at each court.
  • Judgement calls will be wrong from time to time. 
  • You'll live. It's an imperfect game played by amateurs and Reffed by humans.
    • If a judgement call goes in your team’s favor when it shouldn’t have, your captain can and should speak up to get the correct call.

 

PLAYING ROSTER:

  • The minimum roster is 8 players. There is no maximum on the roster as long as those players are paid registrants.
  • The minimum number of players on a team to play an officiated, official game is FOUR.
  • Players not registered for the league cannot play.

 

FORMAT:

  • Each team plays two games per night during the regular season. Each game shall consist of a single 25-minute period, including any desired warm-up time.
  • Each team is allowed one 30-second timeouts per game.
  • The game clock will stop during timeouts.
  • The game clock will run continuously except in cases of an official timeout (injury, equipment, etc) or a timeout. Clock stops on dead-balls under a minute if the score is under 15 points. 
  • The clock will not stop on a made basket under a minute.
  • A dead-ball free throw that increases the score to more than 15 points does not start the clock immediately.
    • The clock will start at first touch.
  • Whichever team has scored more points at the end of the 25-minute period will be declared the winner.
  • Regular season games CAN end in a tie.

 

SUBSTITUTIONS:

  • Substitutions are hockey style. You may sub in at any time but the player coming out of the game must run to the sideline to tag the incoming player in the game and yell out sub.
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SCORING:

  • Buckets made from on or inside the arc count for two points.
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  • Buckets made from outside the arc count for three points.
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  • Four Point Shots by Gym:
    • At OAC (The Lighthouse): Buckets made from behind the blue line in between the 3 point line and half-court circle will count for four points.
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    • At Cole Community Center: There is no backcourt violation. Buckets made from beyond half court will count for four points.
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Five Point Shots by Gym:

At OAC (The Lighthouse): Buckets made from beyond half court will count for five points.

 

  • To speed up game flow, only one free throw will be awarded for shooting fouls. The free throw will count for as many points as the shot that was attempted. If a player is fouled and makes the basket, the free throw will automatically be counted.
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  • All free throws will be attempted under a minute and non-shooting fouls will be a 1&1 free throw. Shooters shall be awarded free throws based on the point value of the attempted shot .

 

TEAM POSSESSION:

  • Initial possession shall be determined by jump ball.
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  • When a “jump ball” occurs, possession shall be awarded to the defending team.
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  • Excessive stalling is not permitted.  
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  • The Referee, at his or her discretion, will initiate a five-second count to prevent stalling and other delays in action.  If the team in possession has not attempted a shot that is successful or has struck the ring or flange at the expiration of the ten-second count, a violation will be called and the defending team awarded possession.
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  • An offensive player shall not be permitted to have any part of his or her body remain in the free throw lane for more than three consecutive seconds while a live ball is in control of that player’s team.

 

FOULS:

  • The Referee will record all team fouls.  Personal fouls are not recorded. However, a player deemed to be excessively fouling will be warned and subsequently disqualified if the behavior continues.
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  • If the fouling team has committed nine or fewer fouls, a non-shooting foul shall result in the offended team gaining possession of the ball.
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  • If the fouling team has committed 10 or more fouls, a non-shooting foul shall result in the fouled shooter being awarded 
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  • If a shooting foul occurs when a shot is made, the extra point will automatically count unless the time is under 1 minute.
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    • Defending team shall be granted possession after the free throw if it is made.
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  • Technical fouls and intentional fouls will result in ONE free throw and will count as 1 point. The offended team shall be awarded possession following the completion of any free throw attempts.
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  • If a shooting foul occurs when a shot is missed, only one free throw will be shot. The free throw will count for as many points as the shot that was attempted. If a player is fouled and makes the basket, the free throw will automatically be counted.
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  • Under a minute, a non-shooting foul is a 1&1 and all free throws will be shot for shooting fouls.
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  • A flagrant 2 foul will result in immediate disqualification of the offending player for the remainder of the night plus the following week.  
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    • Repeated flagrant fouls or other continued misconduct by any team will result in game forfeiture for the remainder of the night plus the following week.
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  • A team who is technically fouled shall be awarded one free throw and possession following the free throw attempt.  
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    • Any member of the offended team may attempt the free throw.
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  • A second technical foul will result in immediate disqualification of the offending player for the remainder of the night.
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    • Further actions in response to intentional, technical, or flagrant fouls, including additional suspensions and expulsion from the league, will be made at the discretion of the OSSO.

 

PLAYOFF SPECIFIC RULES:

  • For playoff games only, a tie score at the end of regulation will result in overtime.  Overtime periods are untimed.
  • Initial possession shall be determined by Rock/Paper/Scissors.
  • The first team to score 5 points in any manner during the overtime period shall be declared the winner.  It is not necessary to win by two points.
  • Each team is allowed one 30-second timeout during the overtime period.

 

DYNASTY RULE:

  • Everyone loves a little competition, but one team dominating a league season after season can spoil the fun for everybody.
  • If a team retaining more than three players has won three championships in consecutive seasons for which they have been registered, OSSO will have the option to, in its discretion, request that team to form two or more separate teams to promote parity in the league or withdraw their registration. That team will then have the opportunity to form two separate teams with each subsequent roster approved by OSSO.

 

  • PLAYOFFS

  • ONLY rostered players may play in playoffs. We are aware that EVERYONE thinks their team's roster situation deserves an exception just this one time. Don't do it. You will get caught, you'll forfeit, you'll be mad & it just makes what would have been a great night for everyone else really awkward. Play your match for fun & may the best team of legally rostered players win the Championship.
  • If a team forfeits, Teams may play for fun, but the non-forfeiting team will move on in the playoffs

 

Any rules not specifically mentioned here are at the discretion of the OSSO Basketball Coordinator and will be determined with Safety, Fairness & Fun in mind.