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Old Bridge Basketball Association
Official Playing Rules

1. Age eligibility is determined by a player’s age on the August 31st after the current season.

2. Every team must be directed and supervised by an adult coach assigned by the League. If the coach is absent and no responsible adult, designated to act as coach in the coach’s absence, is present, then the team forfeits the game.


3. Use of an ineligible player forfeits all games in which that player participated. A player is eligible when all of the following has happened:
a. the player’s parent completes a registration form and pays the registration fee
b. the player is drafted or assigned to a team by the League president or his representative.

4. Team shirts provided by the League must be worn at all games. Black shorts are suggested, but are not the official uniform. Sneakers must be worn. Lost shirts must be replaced by the player at the player’s expense. Players wearing glasses must wear safety glasses or some type of protective goggles. Players wearing braces must wear a protective mouth guard. Those players that fall under these categories and do not wear the proper protection will not be allowed to play. It is suggested that all players wear a protective mouth guard. (Revised 12/04)No jewelry what so ever is allowed on the court. Have a coach or family member hold onto them until after the game.

5. General Game Rules
a. Game Time - For the 9 and 10 year old boys divisions and the prep girls there will be a 7 minute running clock, stopped only for timeouts, foul shots and the ref’s signal. The ref will stop the clock for substitutions in the middle of each quarter. This is not a timeout and the transition should take no more than 15 seconds. The clock will stop in the last 2 minutes of the game.

All other divisions will have an 8 minute running clock which stops only as mentioned above.

b. VERY IMPORTANT – It is mandatory that each player must play equal time in each game.

c. TIMEOUTS – Each team will have 2 timeouts in the first half and 3 timeouts in the second half. No additional timeouts for the first overtime period. These timeouts are in addition to the automatic timeouts provided by the referees.


d. OVERTIME –
              9 & 10 y-o boys, prep girls 1 – 2 minute overtime period
              all other divisions 1 – 3 minute overtime period

* if the score is still tied after the overtime period, the game will go into a sudden death final period – first score wins.

e. FULL COURT PRESSURE – Revised 12/06 Senior Girls full court press.
Senior Boys & Girls and Jr Boys Throughout the game
12, 13 y-o boys During the 4th period only and overtime
10, 11 y-o boys, junior girls During the last 2 minutes of the 4th period and overtime
9 y-o boys and prep girls No full court pressure

* In the absence of the allowance of full court pressure, a player in possession of the ball cannot be guarded until the ball is advanced past the mid-court line.

f. BACK COURT VIOLATION – One warning will be given to each team for illegal defense. The second violation will result in a team technical foul.

g. LANE VIOLATIONS – The counting occurs after the ball advances over half court.
9, 10, 11 y-o boys, prep and junior girls 5 seconds in the lane
all other divisions 3 seconds in the lane

h. OVER AND BACK –
• High school, middle school and McDivitt: Once the ball is advanced past the half court line, a violation occurs if the offense returns the ball back over the half court line while still in possession.
• Elementary schools other than McDivitt: Although players have the standard 10 seconds to initially advance the ball over the half court line, the ball will not be considered over and back unless it is returned back over the top of the defense’s key while still in possession of the ball.

6. Late Arrivals – Playing time for late players is at the discretion of the coach and coaches are advised to use their discretion. Players, who arrive before the end of the first quarter, may play but must play the minimum ½ game if activated by the coach. Players who arrive before halftime may play, but the coach need not play them the minimum ½ game. Players who arrive after halftime are ineligible to play on game night. If the game is suspended and additional players arrive to finish the suspended game, these players may play at the direction of the coach. IMPORTANT – All such players are treated as a group, so a coach may not use discretion to play one or the other, but must play all or none.

7. Suspensions – Coaches may suspend players for just cause. Both the player’s parents and the League commissioner have to be notified within 24 hours and if a suspended player is at a game, the opposing coach must be notified of the suspension. Players are suspended for the succeeding game if they are ejected for a game for technical fouls. Coaches are suspended for the succeeding two games when ejected for a game for technical fouls.


8. Fouls
a. Technical fouls – All technical fouls are 2-shot fouls. A player is assessed a personal foul for each technical foul he/she receives. Technical fouls also count as team fouls.
b. Intentional fouls – Intentional hard fouls shall count as technical fouls; mere breakaway fouls are not counted as technical fouls.
c. Taunting – Subjects a player to a technical foul at the discretion of the referee.
d. After 10 fouls in a half, the opposing team will shoot 2 shots (still one-and-one after 7 team fouls in a half).

9. Fouling Out – A player is disqualified after committing his/her 5th foul.

10. Forfeits – A team must start the game with five players. The team has ten minutes from game time to avoid taking the forfeit.


11. Foul line –
     8, 9, 10 y-o boys, prep girls 10 feet
    11 y-o boys, junior girls 12 feet
     Everyone else 15 feet

12. If a spectator gets unruly and out of control, they will be asked to leave the gym by the head coach of the team their child is on. If they do not comply, the police will be called and the game will be stopped and forfeited.

13. No game will start without 2 hall monitors and a responsible adult scorekeeper. The home team is responsible for the scorekeeper and the visiting team is responsible for the hall monitors. A team that fails to provide these personnel is subject to forfeit the game.


14. Protests – The following constitutes an official protest:
a. Protesting coach notifies the referee and opposing coach by the end of the game.
b. A note that says that a protest exists must be signed on the back of the score sheet by the referee and opposing coach.
c. A written protest is submitted to the League commissioner within 48 hours.

15. Handling of protests –
a. The commissioner has 3 days to decide the validity of the protest.
b. If the protest is valid, a committee of three coaches outside the division will be formed (no League officials).
c. That committee will make a recommendation within 7 days.
d. A Board vote will be taken on the recommendation of the committee.

16. All coaches must be certified by the Rutger’s Program or the equivalent, with a copy of the card presented to the League for records/insurance purposes.

17. Any player who is caught using foul language by an official will be ejected from the game and a technical foul will be given to the player.


18. Any player, coach or official who uses physical force on another person will be ejected and suspended for the rest of the season. If this occurs after mid-season, they will also be suspended the following season.

19. All-Stars –
a. Only kids that play half the season or more are eligible to play.
b. Players must pick the members of their team to go to the All-Star game.
c. All-Stars will be played only if the League is able to get a sponsor to cover the cost for the games.

20. Official High School Rules – With the exception of specially noted rules, our League play is governed by official High School rules.