MIDDLETOWN ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUE (MABL)

Middletown Township Adult Basketball League 2019 Rules (In game rules will be standard PIAA Basketball Rules as requested by the game officials)

GAME RULES 

1. CLOCK: Games will be on a running clock except for the last two-minute (2) of the first half and two (2) minutes of the second half. The clock will only stop for called timeouts, injury timeouts and free throws. The clock will stop after made baskets only in the final two minute of regulation (and OT). 

There is one exception to this rule: Administrative Rule A. – “Mercy” Rule. 

2. GAME TIMES AND DATES: Games will begin at 7pm, 8pm, and 9pm to start the season.  

Games will be played on Tuesday and Thursday. If necessary, games may be scheduled on Friday evening or weekend dates. 

3. GAME DURATION: There will be two (2) 20-minute halves. Each team will have four (4) 90-second timeouts per game. 

4. OVERTIME: Overtime (OT) will be four (4) minutes and it will be a running clock, except for the last two (2) minutes. Team fouls will carry over into OT. Each team receives one (1) additional timeout per overtime IN ADDITION to the amount of timeouts remaining for each team at the end of regulation. All four (4) minutes of OT in any playoff game will be stop time. 

Six (6) technical fouls charged to a player (of any kind) = One (1) game suspension   Automatic one (1) game suspension is enforced in the game that follows the 6th obtained technical – regular season on playoffs. 

Technical foul accumulation only resets after player serves one (1) game suspension. Technical fouls will carry over from regular season into playoffs. After the suspension, the player can be suspended again if he has six more technical fouls. 

**Technical fouls for bookkeeping or uniform issues are administrative and result in two free throws, but do not get directly charged to a player or team; play is restarted at point of interruption. 

5. BOOKKEEPING OF FOULS: Flagrant and technical fouls will count as one (1) personal foul and one (1) team foul. 

6. FOULS: A player fouls out with 5 personal fouls. A team is over the limit with 7 team fouls in a half and in the double bonus with 10 fouls in a half. Over the limit results in a 1-and-1 free throw situation for the other team, while the double bonus results in 2 free throws. 

7. EJECTIONS: A player that receives an ejection will be made to exit the existing contest. In the event that a player is ejected a second time over the course of the regular season and/or playoffs, the individual will be suspended for the game (1) immediately after the game where the second ejection takes place.  

After the suspension, the player can be suspended again if he receives two additional ejections. 

8. INCLEMENT WEATHER: If it begins to rain during a game: (a) games stopped before or at halftime will resume at a later date and time from the point of suspension (continuation); (b) games stopped in the second half are considered completed games and the winner at the stoppage is declared the winner.  During the playoffs, games will always be continuation games.    a. If a game is started and the game requires continuation – all players on a team’s roster are permitted to play in the continuation game, with the only exception being Rule 9-b. b. If a playoff game enters halftime and is subject to a continuation – only players that have participated in the shortened game are permitted to continue. This does not include players on the bench that have not entered the game, players walking up from their car, or players on the roster that just didn’t feel like showing up that night 

9. PLAYOFFS: All teams make the playoffs. We will use hybrid bracket-style playoff system. (1 seed will get first round bye, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5)

12. TIEBREAKERS: Tiebreakers for seeding purposes (with 2 or more teams) will be decided in this order: 1) head-to-head record; 2) Point Differential 3) coin flip. 

*In tiebreakers involving 3 or more teams, if a team is eliminated at any point in the named tiebreaker, the decision reverts back to head-to-head for the remaining teams until one team gains an advantage.   13. PARTICIPATION/FORFEITS: If a team does not have five players present, the game will be delayed up to 5 minutes (as determined by the referee). As long as a team has at least three players, the game can (and will) begin.  

If a player fouling out or being ejected leaves a team with fewer than five players, they may continue to play with three or four players, but anything less than three remaining results in a forfeit. 

The game is also declared a forfeit if a team has fewer than three players to begin the game after waiting 5 minutes. 

*A FORFEIT  WILL RESULT IN a -40 for the point differential for that game.

ADMINISTRATIVE/HOUSEKEEPING RULES 

A. “Mercy Rule” – If a team is leading by 20 or more points with 2 minutes remaining in the second half, the clock will not be stopped for any applicable reason (fouls, out of bounds, injury, timeouts, etc.) 

If a team is leading by 30 points at any point in the second half, the clock will not be stopped for any applicable reason (fouls, out of bounds, injury, timeouts, etc.) 

B. All players, managers and spectators are forbidden from smoking in any Middletown Township Parks. This includes the basketball area. 

C. Please keep your shirts on around the basketball court area. Please change your shirt at your car. 

D. Please refrain from using profane language. You are to command your team and yourself in a professional manner at all times. You are in a public park and are willing representatives of Middletown Township Parks and Recreation; please act accordingly. 

E. Your entire team must wear its official Middletown Team Tee Shirt. A technical will be assessed for each player not in the league-sanctioned tee shirt prior to the game starting (if the violation is made by a starter) or after a substitution (if the violation is made by a reserve player).  Exceptions will be made for teams with previously approved team shirts that were purchased by the team prior to the season starting. 

F. After a warning of B, C, or D, the team will be assessed a technical foul. Anyone on or near your bench is considered your team. The technical(s) are automatically assessed for violation of E.  

G. Only players on the final roster are allowed to play the remainder of the games, including playoffs.  No replacements will be allowed for any reason after the final roster is submitted at the time of the league beginning.  In the event players are added after the season begins, said player must play in a minimum of four (4) regular season games to be eligible to play in the playoffs. There are no exceptions to anything mentioned in Rule G. 

H. It is each captain’s duty to control the members of his team (including supporters). If any player, coach or fan acts out of control towards the referees, the referees will then have the right to end a game at any time and declare a forfeit for that team. 

I. Benches are for team members only. Spectators are not permitted on benches or in playing area. Keep benches clear. Significant others, friends and family members have enough space to watch without having to be on the sidelines. They become a distraction otherwise. 

J. The referees will determine the course of action regarding any circumstances that arise during the course of a game. The commissioner will determine the course of action regarding any circumstances that arise before or after a game. 

***The commissioner has the right to suspend or permanently ban any player for any reason, including actions detrimental to the referees, league and/or township property.