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HUNTERSVILLE YOUTH ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Basketball Rules

Basketball Rules Boys and Girls Divisions

HYAA Basketball Age Group/Game Rules
HYAA emphasizes participation and good sportsmanship among all teams. All HYAA teams will utilize and adhere to the following rules:

General rules
North Carolina High School rules are the rules for all leagues, except as noted and stated below. Age groups will use the court dimensions, ball sizes and time periods for their games as listed in the age group rules.

Playing time
A major HYAA emphasis is playing time for all players. All players must play a minimum of a quarter and a half and a maximum of three quarters worth of playing time per game and must appear in both halves of a game. Segments of play do not have to be uninterrupted. A player who arrives after the start of the second quarter is not bound by the both-half rule. 

Teams that begin with 6 players must sit each player at least one half quarter during the game.
Teams that begin a game with 4-5 players are not required to adhere to the participation rule described above. 

If a 7th player shows up at any point in the 1st quarter, a team MUST follow the minimum and maximum playing time rules.
If a 7th player shows up at any point in the 2nd quarter or later, a team is NOT bound to the maximum playing time rules, but must follow the minimum playing time rules listed below under Late Arrival Playing Time.

LATE ARRIVAL PLAYING TIME: 
A player who arrives at any point in the:
1st quarter must get their full playing time of 3- half quarters;
2nd quarter must get a minimum of 2- half quarters of playing time;
3rd quarter must get a minimum of 1-half quarter of playing time;
4th quarter is not guaranteed any playing time.

When a team falls below seven players during a game, either to injury or foul outs, it is no longer bound by participation rules.

A player that has 5 fouls cannot reenter the game. If a team falls below 5 players due to foul-outs or injury, they will play the remainder of the game shorthanded.

There will be an official’s stoppage of play at the midpoint of each quarter to facilitate the substitutions and assure each player receives their full allotment of playing time. The exact point of the stoppage will be at the discretion of the official to avoid interfering with ongoing action. This stoppage is not a time out and should not be used as such by the coaches. All coaches are bound by strict adherence to the playing time limits.

There will be no free substitutions outside of the midpoint of each of the first 3 quarters. 
A player that starts the 1st, 2nd or 3rd period must stay in the game until the midpoint.  Exceptions to this rule may occur if a player becomes injured or incurs foul trouble.  Foul trouble is 2 fouls in the 1st quarter, 3 fouls in the 2nd quarter and 4 fouls at any point of the game.  Coaches may substitute at will during the 4th period and in overtime.

If a team only has 4 players at the start of a game, that team may play with 4 players OR recruit a similarly skilled player that is currently registered in the HYAA Basketball program. The player must come from the same or lower Division/age group.  The substitute player must be approved by the opposing coach. The discussion/agreement must be made prior to tip-off. If the opposing coach does not approve of the substitute player, the opposing team can play with 4 players. (A max of two substitutes can be added).
Note:  adding a substitute player is not allowed in the playoffs.

Coaches are responsible for having a written rotation plan developed before the game to ensure meeting the playing time rules.

Forfeits
Teams not showing up within five minutes of their game time, or within 15 minutes of the end of the game prior to theirs, whichever is later, will forfeit their game.
A team must start the game with a minimum of 4 players, and can play 4 players the entire game. 
The opposing coach must approve the use and specific substitute player utilized by the team that is short-handed prior to tip-off; otherwise, the game will result in a forfeit. 

Coaches / Player Conduct
A player or coach ejected from a game with 2 Technical Fouls and will incur an additional 1 game suspension from the next scheduled game.

Pressing rules
No pressing/no back-court defense rule, except during stated periods of the game (see age-group rules).

The back court-defense prohibition is designed to allow a more normal ebb and flow to youth games. Some full court pressing is allowed at the end of games to give trailing teams a chance to catch up. It is not intended to allow winning teams to pad their leads. Pressing when ahead by 20 or more points will be penalized with a 2-shot, technical foul.

Pressing penalties
During the majority of the game, judgment on whether the back court-defense rule is called is left to the discretion of the referee. In general, a violation occurs when a defending player is intentionally "guarding" an attacking player or intentionally making a play on the ball in the backcourt. Accidental defensive plays, for example, a player being struck in the back with a pass in the backcourt, should not be considered a violation unless deemed intentional. A foul committed in backcourt is still a foul, and referees will assess it. A backcourt foul may also incur a back court defense warning, or, penalty when warranted (see below)

When a back court violation is noted, officials should warn the offending player and team, and give the ball to the attacking team, side out, in the back court. After an unspecified number of intentional, repeat violations, for example, deliberately playing defense so as to stop fast breaks, the referee may call a 2-shot technical foul. The decision to assess a technical is at the referee's discretion and should be used only to halt intentional, repeat offenses.

Timeouts
Teams receive four (0:45) timeouts per game, plus one for each overtime period. The timeouts may be used at any point in the game, all four in the first quarter, or all four in the last 10 seconds.

Other Time Stoppages
Timekeepers will stop the clock on all dead ball situations as signaled by the official’s whistle. The clock will stop on all made baskets in the last minute of the game and resume when the ball is inbounded. There will be play stoppages of 1 minute between quarters and 5 minutes at halftime.

Overtime
One 2 minute overtime will be played in the event of a tie. Each team will receive one additional timeout. During the regular season, if the game is still tied at the end of the first overtime, the game will be scored as a tie. During the playoffs, there will be a max of two overtimes, then the game will go to sudden-death. The first team to score wins. 

Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is a lost art in Youth Sports.  However, HYAA would like to do its best to emphasize it.  Please be mindful NOT to run the score up on your opponent if your team is ahead by “a lot.”  “A lot” is defined by enough points to guarantee the outcome of the game has been decided.  In basketball, that probably means 10 points with 1 minute to go, 15 points with 2 minutes to go, 20 points with one quarter to go and 30 points at any point during the game.  Use your discretion.  Play your less skilled players at the end of the game to give them additional playing time.  HYAA-sanctioned games are NOT to be used to “practice” your full or half-court press when your team is up by “a lot.” Use your best judgment regarding sportsmanship.  Offending coaches WILL be reprimanded.  

Standings, Tournament play
HYAA will conduct a post-season tournament in each age group with seeding determined by order of finish in the regular season.
If there is still a tie, league officials will conduct a coin flip to break the tie.

Tournament championship games will be resolved without the use of sudden-death overtimes. Teams will play until one team is ahead at the end of regulation or successive, two-minute overtimes.

Age group coordinators will have final say regarding Playoff seedings.

Age Group Specific Rules

Coed 5U
Games will be played using 8’0" height baskets.
Teams will use 27.5 in. basketballs.
All defense should be inside the 3 point arch for the entire game.  If the court does not have a 3 point arch, then coaches should use their best judgment to have the players set up defense that would be close to a 3 point arch.
NO Stealing/stripping the ball from a player with possession.
Only a man to man defense will be allowed.  No double teaming or zone defense.
Coaches will officiate the game.
Games will consist of 2 halves, both 20 minutes in length with a running clock.

(Boys, 6-7)(Girls 6-8)   
Games will be played using 8’6" height baskets.
Teams will use 27.5 basketballs.
Foul shots will be taken 11 feet from the backboard. (White tape in Huntersville Elementary and Waymer gyms).  In the absence of white tape, use the bottom of the circle as your 11 ft free throw line.
Games will consist of four, 7-minute quarters.
A five-second lane violation will apply, using the 11-foot free throw line and the regular lane boundaries.
Pressing/guarding in the backcourt is not allowed. Players may not guard a player or steal the dribble or a pass in the half court outside of the 3-point arc. 
Regular basketball rules apply within the 3-point arc.
Half court pressing is allowed in the last two minutes of regulation and overtime periods.  Players may steal the dribble/passes during these periods.
There is no three-point shot. 
Mercy Rule: A running clock will take effect in any game where one team takes a lead of 20-points or more in the second half and will continue until the end of the game, regardless of the margin.

(Boys 8-9) (Girls 9-10)  
Games will be played on regulation baskets.
Teams will use Women's/Intermediate sized basketballs. (28.5 in)
Foul shots will be taken from the 13' line (13' from the regular goal), marked in HYAA gyms.  
Games will consist of four, 7-minute quarters.
A five-second lane violation will apply, using the regular lane boundaries.
Full court pressing is allowed in the last two minutes of regulation and overtime periods.
The three-point shot is in effect.
Mercy Rule: A running clock will take effect in any game where one team takes a lead of 20-points or more in the second half and will continue until the end of the game, regardless of the margin.

(Boys 10-11) 
Teams will use regulation baskets.
Teams will use Intermediate basketballs. (28.5 in)
Foul shots will be taken from the 14’ line (14’ from the regular goal).
Games will consist of four, 7-minute quarters.
A three-second lane violation will apply, using the regular lane boundaries.
Full court pressing is allowed in the 4th quarter of regulation and overtime period. 
Teams may not press when up 10 or more points.
The three-point shot is in effect.
Mercy Rule: A running clock will take effect in any game where one team takes a lead of 20-points or more in the second half and will continue until the end of the game, regardless of the margin.

(Girls 11-14)
Teams will use regulation baskets.
Teams will use official women's or "compact" basketballs. (28.5 in)
Foul shots will be taken from the standard 15-foot free throw line.
A three-second lane violation will apply, using the regular lane boundaries.
Games will consist of four, 8-minute quarters.
Pressing is permitted throughout the game.
The three-point shot is in effect.
Mercy Rule: A running clock will take effect in any game where one team takes a lead of 40-points or more in the second half and will continue until the end of the game, regardless of the margin.

(Boys 12-13) (Boys High School, 14-17)  
Teams will use regulation baskets.
Teams will use regulation basketballs.
Foul shots will be taken from the regular, 15-foot free throw line.
Games will consist of four, 8-minute quarters.
Pressing is permitted throughout the game. 
The three-point shot is in effect.
Mercy Rule: A running clock will take effect in any game where one team takes a lead of 40-points or more in the second half and will continue until the end of the game, regardless of the margin.

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Huntersville, North Carolina 28078

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