Tournament Rules
All UIL rules will be followed for tournament games with the following exceptions and amendments.
Timing
Boys
6th Grade & Above- 7 minute stop clock quarters
4th – 5th Grade – 6 minute stop clock quarters
3rd Grade & Below – 18 minute running clock halves – Stops last 1 minute of half
Girls
9th Grade & Above – 7 minute stop clock quarters
6th – 8th Grade- 6 minute stop clock quarters
5th Grade & Below – 18 minute running clock halves – Stops last 1 minute of half
Timeouts
Each team receives two 30 second timeouts per half. Timeouts do not carry over between halves. Players will be allowed to sit during timeouts.
Warmups
If time permits, 3 minutes will be provided from the conclusion of the previous game for teams to warmup. More time can be added but cannot exceed the scheduled start time.
Halftime
Halftime is 3 minutes for all divisions, as time permits.
Running Clock
For all divisions 8th grade & below the clock will run in the 2nd half if there is a lead of 15 or more points. The clock will stop once the lead is below 12 points.
For all divisions 9th grade & above the clock will run in the 2nd half if there is a lead of 20 or more points. The clock will stop once the lead is below 15 points.
Overtime
A 2 minute stop clock overtime will be used if the score is tied after regulation. Teams will be granted 1 timeout. Timeouts from regulation do not carry over.
In the 2nd overtime period, the first team to score wins.
Fouls & On-Court Conduct
Technical Foul Penalty – Automatic 2 points & possession to offended team
A team will shoot 2 free throws once 10 team fouls have been accumulated. There is NO single bonus (1 & 1).
Fighting will result in immediate removal from tournament without refund and potential disqualification of the team.
No Stalling – Teams may not hold the ball without attempting to score for more than 30 seconds. The first instance will result in loss of possession. Each subsequent instance will be a team technical foul.
If a player is ejected from a tournament game, they are suspended for their team’s next game (this does not apply if a player fouls out).
If a coach is ejected from a game by the officials, he/she must immediately leave the playing area. If the coach complies with the officials & tournament staff promptly, he/she will be allowed to coach the next game – if a coach is uncooperative, he/she may not be allowed to coach for the duration of the tournament.
Team & Spectator Responsibilities
The tournament will provide clock/bookkeeper(s) & a team may provide 1 parent or coach to assist the officials by keeping the official clock or book. This person must refrain from showing partiality, coaching players on the floor, or commenting on calls made by officials.
Spectators are encouraged to actively cheer their teams, but are not permitted to
disparage opposing players or coaches, nor heckle the officials.
Spectators may not come onto the court unless beckoned by the officials to tend to an injured player during a dead ball. Any non-player who enters the playing area during a game will be removed from the tournament without refund.
All individuals are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the tournament’s Code of Conduct.
Any party exhibiting behavior inconsistent with the Code of Conduct may be subject to
immediate removal from the tournament without refund. Such actions would include:
Use of profanity, threatening or violent action, failure to comply with staff or security
instructions, or any other behaviors deemed to be sufficiently inappropriate as to merit
removal from the tournament by either the site director or tournament director.
Home/Away
The home team is listed first/top on the bracket/schedule. The designated home team should wear white or lighter colored jerseys and provide the official game ball.
Player Protest
Only the head coach may initiate a protest.
The protest fee is $50 and must occur prior to the start of the game or no later than 15 minutes after the game. The player being protested must produce documents confirming the players age & grade (Ex. a birth certificate & current report card). If the protest is lost or no documentation is produced in a timely manner, the player is ineligible to compete in the tournament. If the player’s age and grade are both validated, the $50 is forfeit and the player shall be eligible.
Basketball Size Regulation
All Girls Divisions or 6th Grade Boys & Below – 28.5 Ball
7th Grade Boys & Above – 29.5 Ball
Tiebreak Procedures
If 2 teams are tied in the standings, the team who won the head-to-head matchup
wins the tiebreaker.
If 3 or more teams are tied, the aggregate point differential, or positive points, from all
tournament games will be used to determine all 3 teams’ final standing.
Example
Team A +3, -8, +15 Total + 10
Team B -5, +9, +1 Total + 5
Team C +15, +15, -1 Total + 29
1st – Team C
2nd – Team A
3rd – Team B
Positive points are awarded based on the final score of tournament games. Teams can
accumulate a maximum of 15 positive or negative points per game. Games won by forfeit will result in 1 positive point.
Grade & Age Regulations
Players are only eligible to play in their grade division or higher.
Players cannot play in a lower grade division regardless of age.
In addition to being in the appropriate grade, players cannot be too old.
Players are required to be the typical corresponding age of their grade level (i.e. 8th Grade – 14 years old)
Players are allowed to be up to 1 year older than the typical age, but cannot
turn 2 years older before Sept 1st of the current year.
Example
5th Grade Division – Typical age: 11 Years Old
Player A
5th Grade, 12 years old, turns 13 on December 5th
Verdict: Eligible to play in 5th grade (Will be age 12 on Sept 1)
Player B
5th Grade, 12 years old, turns 13 on July 31st
Verdict: NOT Eligible to play in 5th grade (Will be age 13 prior to Sept 1)
| 2nd Grade | 8 years old | 7th Grade | 13 years old |
| 3rd Grade | 9 years old | 8th Grade | 14 years old |
| 4th Grade | 10 years old | 9th Grade | 15 years old |
| 5th Grade | 11 years old | 10th Grade | 16 years old |
| 6th Grade | 12 years old | Varsity | 18 years old |
Coaches may apply for a grade exception in advance of the tournament for players who have been accelerated in school due to academic excellence.
*Grade Exceptions are only granted for players that are the typical age of the lower grade as of Aug 31 of the current year.
If a grade exception is not granted by the tournament director prior to the event – any player in a higher grade than the division they are playing in will be ineligible.
