Basketball: RULES AND REGULATIONS

The following rules have been designed to ensure fair play for all participants. Each player is expected to understand these rules prior to participation in the tournament. Any questions concerning these rules should be directed to the SoFlo Event Staff.

PRIOR TO THE GAME:

EACH TEAM ENTERED IN THE TOURAMENT MUST SUBMIT THE $80.00 TOURNAMENT FEE

(In theory, a church may enter 4 teams and would have to submit $320.00 or $80.00 for each team)

 Each Team MUST be in matching uniform tops. This will make it easier for the referee, court monitor or SoFlo Official to judge. Uniform exceptions must be approved by a SoFlo official in writing, and presented to the tournament director within 30 days of the competition.

Age Groups:

  • Small Fry: 9 years and younger
  • Pee-wee: 10-13 years old
  • JV: 14-18 years old
  • Varsity: 19 years and older

Each church is allowed 1 team for each age group. SOFLO ADVENTIST SPORTS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DISMISS ANY TEAM BECAUSE OF A SUSPECTED ILLEGAL PLAYER. Each team should have proper paperwork to confirm ages (copies of birth certificates or photo ID).

Each team must have three to five players on its roster who have registered their team by the predetermined entry deadline. Additions and/or changes to any roster must be approved by SoFlo Event Staff member and completed prior to the start of a team's first game of the event. No substitutions are allowed once a team's roster of five players has been filled without the prior written consent of the SoFlo Event Staff. A player is allowed to participate for only one team for the duration of the tournament without the prior written consent of the SoFlo Event Staff. All players must sign the score sheet before each game and designate the team's captain/spokesperson. THE TEAM CAPTAIN WILL REPRESENT HIS/HER TEAM AS A SPOKESPERSON AT ALL TIMES.

All games must start with three players on each team, unless a team with three players agrees to allow the opposing team to play with only two players. If a team with a least three players does not allow the opposing team to play with two players, or if the opposing team has zero or one players, that team will be penalized one point per minute after the designated start time up to 10 points. Game is forfeited after 10 minutes. A coin flip prior to the start of the game will determine which team has the initial possession.

STARTING PLAY/THROW- IN: The ball must be thrown (not dribbled) in from the top of the three point line.

First Violation: Warning from the referee or court monitor Second Violation: change of possession

AFTER THE GAME:

The captain of the winning team should obtain the score sheet from the referee or court monitor and deliver this score sheet the Master Scoreboard. THE MASTER SCOREBOARD CONTAINS THE OFFICIAL SCHEDULE FOR THE TOURNAMENT. AFTER EACH GAME, EACH TEAM MUST CHECK THE MASTER SCOREBOARD FOR FUTURE SCHEDULING AND INFORMATION.

GAME PLAY:

Length of Games: First team to score 16 points, or 20 minutes, including the warm-up period. Championship Games in each division: No Time Limit. Overtime: If the score is tied at the end of 20 minutes, the game goes to overtime. A coin flip determines which team has the initial possession. The game winner is the first team to score 2 points in the overtime period.

No Make It Take It (Losers out): The ball changes possession after each scored basket.

Stalling: No stalling is allowed. The referee, court monitor or SoFlo Event Staff member may institute a 30 second shot clock at any time. After a team has been warned about stalling, failure to attempt a shot within 30 seconds will result in loss of possession.

 Jump Balls: All jump balls become the possession of the defensive team.

Time Outs: Each team is allowed three 45-second time-outs per game. The game clock does not stop during any time-outs. NO time-outs are permitted in the last three minutes of the game.

Taking It Back (Clearing the ball): When in play, the ball must be "taken back" on each change of possession. "Taking it back" means BOTH feet must be behind two-point arc. Failure to "take it back" is a violation. First Violation: Warning from the referee or court monitor Each Individual Violation: Change of Possession

Throw In/Resuming Play: The ball must be thrown in (not dribbled) in from the top of the key. First Violation: Warning from referee or court monitor Each Additional Violation: Change of possession

Scoring: Baskets made from the inside the arc count one point. Baskets made when the shooter has BOTH FEET behind the arc count two points. Court monitors or referees will call "two points". If there is any doubt by the court monitor or referees as to whether the made basket is worth one or two points, the basket will count as one point.

Free Throws: Free throws count as one point. When fouled in the act of shooting, free throws are awarded to the fouled shooter only when the basket was not made (see foul section). All free throws are dead balls. Regardless of whether the free throw(s) are made, the opposing team checks the ball from the top of the key. The try for goal shall be made within 10 seconds after the ball has been placed at the disposal of the free thrower. All other players will remain behind the two point arc while the free throw attempt is being made.

Fouls: Any time a basket is MADE and a foul is called:

  • The basket counts.
  • The referee or team representative records the foul.
  • Defending team receives the ball.

Personal Fouls:

 When There Is A Referee On The Court:

The referee will record each personal foul. Each team member is allowed four personal fouls. Upon receiving the fourth personal foul, the player is disqualified. If a player is fouled in the act of shooting and a basket is not made, player must attempt a free throw (2 free throws if fouled in the act of shooting behind the arc). RECORDED TEAM FOUL # RESULT (for team that was fouled) Team Fouls 1 through 6 Check ball from the top of the key. Team Fouls 7+ (act of shooting) = One free throw. If fouled with both feet behind the two point arc, two free throws. Team Fouls 7+ (not in act of shooting) one free throw.

Personal Fouls When There Is No Referee on the Court:

If there is no referee on your court, only team fouls will be recorded. No personal fouls will be recorded. A foul may only be called by the player on the court who was fouled at the time of the foul. The court monitor or a representative from each team will record the fouls. All intentional fouls will be called by the referee, court monitor or SoFlo Event Staff member only and results in one free throw for the player fouled AND his/her team retains possession and checks the ball at the top of the key. An intentional fouls is a personal or technical foul designed to stop or keep the clock from starting, to neutralize an opponent's obvious advantageous position, contact away from the ball, or when not playing the ball. It may or may not be premeditated and is not based on the severity of the act. Flagrant fouls or continuous misconduct will result in team forfeiture and team dismissal from the tournament. All flagrant fouls are called by the referee, court monitor or SoFlo Event Staff only. A flagrant foul may be a personal technical foul of violent or savage nature, or a technical non-contact foul which displays unacceptable conduct. It may or may not be intentional. If personal, it involves violent contact such as striking, kneeing, etc. If technical, it involves dead ball contact or non-contact at any time which is extreme or persistent, vulgar, or abusive conduct.

First Offense: Player fouled will shoot one free throw and his/her teams retains possession from the top of the key.

Second Offense: Team forfeits game and is under probation for the duration of tournament play.

Basketball Goal Information

The ball is out of bounds if it:

  • Passes over the top edge of the backboard or touches the back side of the backboard
  • Touches the arms attached to the back of the backboard.

The ball remains in play if the ball:

  • Touches the bottom edge of the backboard
  • Touches one of the side edges of the backboard
  • Touches the top edge of the backboard but does not pass over the top edge of the backboard

TOURNAMENT ADMINISTRATION:

Any questions or disputes will be discussed only with the team spokesperson. All disputes must be brought to the attention of the tournament director as soon as the incident in question has happened. Disputes will not be heard after the game has been completed. SoFlo Basketball Staff reserves the right to disqualify any team for infractions of the following policies:

USE OF ILLEGAL PLAYERS: The players listed on the roster at the time an entry form is submitted are the only players eligible without the consent of the SoFlo Event Staff. SoFlo Event Staff reserves the right to request identification from players at any time during the tournament. All participants are encouraged to bring picture identification to the tournament.

FALSE INFORMATION: Information provided SoFlo Adventist Sports on your entry form is the basis for division breakdowns. Any false information is grounds for disqualification. UNNECESSARY VULGARITY OR

ABUSIVE CONDUCT: Good sportsmanship is expected. A SoFlo Event Staff member may assist at any time, including officiating games, immediately implementing the shooting of foul shots, terminating a game, and/or escorting the player or team from the premises.