Rules for 3rd and 4th Grade Boys and Girls Recreation Basketball

1. A game will consist of four quarters, each of which will be eight minutes long. There will be an automatic stoppage of play at roughly the four minute mark of each quarter for substitutions.

2. The game will begin with a jump ball at mid-court. Thereafter, possession will alternate at the quarters and at jump ball calls. (At the four-minute substitution the team in possession retains possession.) The game clock will be a running clock, except the last two minutes of the game. Each team will have two time-outs per half. You may only press during the last 2 minutes of the final period, and the last minute of overtime, if applicable.

3. Each player MUST play half of the game unless there are more than 10 players on a team. Unless you have 6 players or fewer on your team, each player must sit out one section of time in each half, for a MAX playing time of 3 quarters. No one should ever play more than 3 quarters while another player only plays 2.

4. No zone defense is allowed. The defensive team must match up with the offensive player they are covering and be within an arms-length at all times until the ball enters the paint. “Weak-side” players may play proper weak-side defense, but double-teaming is only allowed when the ball enters the offensives teams paint. A five second rule will apply in the paint.

5. No defense is allowed in the designated backcourt area. The coaches and referee will discuss the “imaginary” pick-up line before the start of each game. This line will be located approximately between half court and the top of the key, and run parallel to the half-court line.

6. Any player that is charged with six fouls is disqualified from that game. If a player is fouled in the act of shooting, the player shoots two free throws.

7. Fun and competitive games are one of our top priorities. No team should run up the score on another team. No team should win by more than 15 points. If you find yourself up by 10+ points, then make sure that the lesser experienced players are predominantly handling and shooting the ball.

8. During home games at Brookside, each player shoots a lay-up at half-time. For each basket made, that team gets one point. If one team has fewer players than the other, they can have players take extra shots to make up the difference. No player can take more than 2 shots.

9. “Best player” agreement: At the beginning of the 3rd quarter, each team will rest their best player to give the other players on both teams an equal opportunity to play without them. The coaches can do this at a time other than the beginning of the 3rd quarter as long as they agree in advance of the start of the game.

10. One adult will be selected by the coach of each team to run the clock and maintain the game book.

11. If a team has only 5 players and a player fouls out, the player may remain in the game in order to have five players on the court. However, every foul on that player who fouled out will result in a technical (two shots plus possession) in addition to any penalty incurred on that foul.

12. At this level, the children are learning to develop the fundamental skills of basketball. Instruction is an important component even during games. Over the course of the season, it is the league’s goal to grow those skills. Therefore, during the month of January, when a violation occurs, the referee will be instructed to stop the play, explain to the player why it is a violation and then allow the game to proceed from that spot (not take it out to slow down play). During the month of February, when a violation occurs, the ref will stop play, explain to the player what they did and award the other team the ball. During the month of March, the referee will call the game as played so that the child will be ready for the next level.