Grand Junction

(970) 433-9715

BASKETBALL RULES

       

                     

N Zone Sports Basketball Rules

 

 N Zone Basketball

The rules of the game were developed to afford N Zone Sports participants the opportunity to learn and understand the basic fundamentals of the game of basketball. Every player should be given an opportunity to experience the game in a fun, safe environment. N Zone coaches should never attempt to alter or misrepresent the rules nor put their own interests above those of the children playing the game. 

N Zone Sports has created a basketball program designed to provide children the best possible environment to foster healthy competition, promote fair play and instill a sense of teamwork, effort, leadership and sportsmanship. These are the values are that N Zone Sports was built upon. Keep the kids learning and having fun!

Program Guide

Age     Players      Ball                       Goal Height                        Game Length

5-7       5 vs 5        27.5”                             9’                         4- 6 minute quarters                                                                   8-9       5 vs 5         27.5”                             9’                         4- 6 minute quarters                               10-12    5 vs 5       28.5”                             9’                         4- 8 minute quarters

 

Freshmen Basketball Rules

  1. Good sportsmanship always comes before winning
  2. Games consist of 4 quarters of 8 minutes. The clock will run continuously. There will be one minute between quarters and 3 minutes for halftime. Teams are allowed one time out per half.
  3. Scores and records will be kept.
  4. Lane violations, such as 3 seconds, will not be called.
  5. Scores and records will be kept and posted to the web site weekly.
  6. Players cannot foul out of a game but may be removed for excessive or intentional fouling. 
  7. Players must play a minimum of 2 quarters per game and one quarter per half. No player is permitted to play in all 4 quarters unless the team is limited to 6 or fewer players. Injuries are the only time a player may be substituted. If a player who sustains an injury in which he/she is bleeding, they must be promptly removed from the game until the bleeding has stopped. A player substitution is permitted in this instance. 
  8. While on defense, the following rules apply;
    1. Man to man defense only
    2. No double teaming a player
    3. No full-court pressing. Half-court pressing is allowed but the player must be given the opportunity to cross the half court. 
    4. No pressure is allowed in the backcourt on the change of possession
  9. Traveling and double dribble will be called if the offensive player gains an advantage by it or if the official determines the player has the skill set to dribble continuously. 
  10. Free throws will be awarded on shooting fouls.
  11. If the ball hits the base of the basket (on portable units) the ball is considered out of bounds. 
  12. Alternate possession rules apply. Teams will alternate possession of the ball to start each quarter. (1st and 3rd quarter, 2nd and 4th quarter). 

 

Junior Varsity Rules 

 

  1. Good sportsmanship always comes before winning
  2. Games consist of 4 quarters of either 6 or 8 minutes (depending on age). The clock will run continuously There will be one minute between quarters and 5 minutes for halftime. Teams are allowed one time out per half.
  3. Scores and records will be kept.
  4. Lane violations, such as 5 seconds, will not be called.
  5. Scores and records will be kept and posted to the web site weekly.
  6. Players cannot foul out of a game but may be removed for excessive or intentional fouling. 
  7. Players must play a minimum of 2 quarters per game and one quarter per half. No player is permitted to play in all 4 quarters unless the team is limited to 6 or fewer players. Injuries are the only time a player may be substituted. If a player who sustains an injury in which he/she is bleeding, they must be promptly removed from the game until the bleeding has stopped. A player substitution is permitted in this instance. 
  8. While on defense, the following rules apply;
    1. Man to man defense only
    2. No double teaming a player
    3. No pressing (full court or half court)
    4. No pressure is allowed in the backcourt on the change of possession
    5. Recovery Rule: a defensive player may leave his man to prevent another player from driving to the basket. However, once the initial stop is made, the player must immediately return to the original player guarded.
  9. Traveling and double dribble will be called if the offensive player gains an advantage by it or if the official determines the player has the skill set to dribble continuously. 
  10. Free throws will be awarded on shooting fouls.
  11. If the ball hits the base of the basket (on portable units) the ball is considered out of bounds. 
  12. Alternate possession rules apply. Teams will alternate possession of the ball to start each quarter. (1st and 3rd quarter, 2nd and 4th quarter). 

Varsity Rules

  1. Good sportsmanship always comes before winning
  2. Games consist of 4 quarters of 8 minutes. The clock will run continuously. There will be one minute between quarters and 5 minutes for halftime. Teams are allowed two timeouts per half.
  3. Scores and records will be kept.
  4. Lane violations, such as 5 seconds, will not be called.
  5. Scores and records will be kept and posted to the web site weekly.
  6. Players cannot foul out of a game but may be removed for excessive or intentional fouling. 
  7. Players must play a minimum of 2 quarters per game and one quarter per half. No player is permitted to play in all 4 quarters unless the team is limited to 6 or fewer players. Injuries are the only time a player may be substituted. If a player who sustains an injury in which he/she is bleeding, they must be promptly removed from the game until the bleeding has stopped. A player substitution is permitted in this instance. 
  8. While on defense, the following rules apply;
    1. Man to man defense only
    2. No double teaming a player
    3. No pressing (full court or half court)
    4. No pressure is allowed in the backcourt on the change of possession
    5. Recovery Rule: a defensive player may leave his man to prevent another player from driving to the basket. However, once the initial stop is made, the player must immediately return to the original player guarded.

 

  1. Free throws will be given on shooting fouls. 
  2. Traveling and double dribble will be called if the offensive player gains an advantage by it or if the official determines the player has the skill set to dribble continuously. 
  3. Free throws will be awarded on shooting fouls.
  4. If the ball hits the base of the basket (on portable units) the ball is considered out of bounds. 
  5. Alternate possession rules apply. Teams will alternate possession of the ball to start each quarter. (1st and 3rd quarter, 2nd and 4th quarter). 

 

Program Summary

Number of Player Requirement (all divisions)

  • Each team will have a target roster size of between 8-10 players.
  • Games will be 5 on 5 however a team is allowed to play with 4 players. A forefeit is determined when a team has less than 4 players available 5 minutes after scheduled time or as determined by the site director or referee.
  • Teams may substitute players on any stoppage of play with the referee’s approval
  • Each player shall play a minimum of 50% of the total playing time.
    • No defense in the backcourt

Equipment                                                                                                                 

N Zone Sports will supply each player with an N Zone player jersey, and one basketball for each team. Players are asked to wear dark shorts/ sweat pants and rubber-soled athletic shoes. Mouth guards are recommended for safety but not required. 

 

Referees                                                                                                         

N Zone Sport will provide a referee for games in all age groups. Officials should avoid interfering with the course of play but are considered part of the court. Referees will briefly explain all rule infractions to the offending player, with more explanation being provided for younger players. 

 

Starting Procedures                                                                                      

The winner of a coin toss at the beginning of the game will get possession. The opposite team will start with possession in the second half.  Teams will switch baskets at half time and a coin toss will determine possession for each overtime period. 

 

Game Duration                                                                                             

Freshmen play four, 8-minute quarters. There is a 5-minute halftime. Each team has one timeout per half   JV & Varsity play four, 10-minute quarters, a 5 minute halftime, each team has 2 timeouts per half

*There is not overtime during the regular season. Playoff overtime will be 5-minute periods as needed.

Offense

Backcourt violations will not be enforced in any 7 and under divisions. Over and back (half court line) will be enforced in JV and Varsity Divisions.

The 10 second backcourt and 5 second inbound rules will only apply in JV and Varsity Divisions.

 

Defense

Freshman Division Defensive Restrictions 

  • Half court man to man defense only (defense not to extend beyond 3 pt line)

 

 

JV Division Defensive Restrictions

  • Half court man to man or zone defense
  • If a team is winning by 12+ points defense cannot extend past the 3-point line

 

Varsity Division Defensive Restrictions

  • Teams can play either zone or man to man in the full court
  • Teams may full court trap or press unless leading by 12+ points
  • Teams leading by 12+ points may not extend defense beyond half court

** Illegal defense will be called if a team loses possession of the ball as a result of a defensive act taking place in a restricted area.  The turnover will be allowed if it occurred as a result of an error by the offensive team and defense was not being applied in the restricted area of the court. 

 

Forfeit

  • Games must start with at least four players per team. Any team that cannot field four players within five minutes of the schedules start time shall forfeit the game. 
  • Forfeit scores will be recorded as 10-0

Fouls: Personal fouls include any type of illegal physical contact:                                                                          

  • Hitting
  • Pushing
  • Slapping
  • Holding
  • Illegal pick/screen- When an offensive player sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in attempt to block the path of the defender.

Personal Foul Penalties: If a player is shooting while a being fouled, then he gets two free throws if his shot doesn’t go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in. 

  • Inbounds
    • Inbounds. If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul was committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side of baseline, out of bounds, and have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court. 
    • One & One. If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the game, then the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot, then he is awarded another free throw.
    • Ten or more foul. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then the fouled player receives two free throws. 

Charging- An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a  defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

Blocking- Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing positin in time to prevent an opponent’s drive to the basket.

 

Violations

Traveling/Walking- Takingm more than a step and a half without dribbling the ball is traveling. Moving your pivot foot once you’ve stopped dribbling is traveling.

Carrying- when a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of or, sometimes, even under ball.

Double Dribble- Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball a the same time or picking up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble. 

Held Ball- Occassionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball at the same time.  In order to avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee stops the action and awards the ball to one team or the other on a rotating basis. 

Backcourt Violation- Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the other team to pass inbounds. 

Time restrictions- A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Other time restrictions include the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than five seconds when being closely guarded. 

Forefeit

  • Games must start with at least four players per team. Any team that cannot field four players within five minutes of the scheduled start time shall forfeit the game. 
  • Forfeit scores will be recorded as 10-0

Games at the younger age groups should be officiated more loosely with emphasis placed on instruction. 

 

Rule #1…..Have Fun!

 

 

 

 

NOTE: The league reserves the right to modify rules during the season.  N Zone Sports reserves the right to ask player’s parents/guardians to produce valid proof of age in the form of a birth certificate or other forms of legal identification.  

 

 

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