YOUTH LEAGUE RULES
All Midlothian Basketball League (“The League”) games will be conducted under National Federation of High School Basketball Rules, unless otherwise noted.
- All players must be in full uniform.
- All players must wear the jerseys issued by MBL to be eligible to play.
- All jerseys must be tucked in.
- No two (2) players may have the same number.
Home team wears white colored jersey. Away team wears darker colored jersey.
- Game balls will be provided by MBL. Teams must provide their own warm up balls.
- Teams are not required to provide the scorekeeper or clock keeper. These are provided by MBL. The scorekeeper will only keep track of playing time, team & individual fouls, and time outs.
- Junior sized basketballs (27.5) will be used in Kindergarten & 1st-2nd grade boys and girls divisions.
- Intermediate sized basketballs (28.5) will be used for 3rd-5th grade boys and all girls divisions 3rd grade and above.
- Official size basketballs (29.5) will be used in the 6th-9th grade boys divisions.
- All age divisions will play 4 quarter games at 8 minutes per quarter with the exception of Kinder who will play 4 quarters at 6 minutes – Running Clock.
- Stopped clock in last 2 minutes of the 2nd and 4th quarter - with the exception of Kinder division. Kinder will only have stoppage in the last 2 minutes of the 4th quarter.
- Half-Time will be 5 minutes.
- If the game is tied at the end of regulation, a two (2) minute overtime period will be played.
- If the game remains tied at the end of the first overtime, the game will end in a tie.
- In tournament play, overtime periods will be played until one team is victorious.
- Warm-Up time be a minimum of 5 minutes (the Warm-Up time length may be reduced at the option of the Site Director).
- Two Shots will be awarded at the 5th foul that occurs by the opposing team in any given quarter.
- Each team will be allowed 2 one-minute timeouts per half.
- One additional timeout will be allowed for each overtime period.
- NO full court press will be allowed in Kinder-2nd grade girls & 3rd grade boys age divisions.
- 3rd-4th grade girls & 4th-5th grade boys age divisions: Teams are allowed to full court press the last 2 minutes of the 2nd quarter and last 2 minutes of the 4th quarter only. (unless the lead is 20 or more)
- 5th-8th grade girls divisions / 6th-9th grade boys divisions: Full court press is allowed at all times unless the lead is 20 or more.
- Head to Head
- Point Differential (Capped at 20 Point Max/Game)
- Points Allowed
*Standings in Winter and Summer Recreational Seasons currently do not apply to Tournament Seeding.
- Inappropriate behavior along with verbal or physical assault will not be tolerated.
- Each coach is responsible for the conduct of the team’s players, coaches and fans on and off the court and must promote the best sportsmanship, win or lose.
- The Site Director or any game official may remove a player, coach, or attendee from a game, tournament, or venue for inappropriate behavior or verbal abuse.
- The Site Director may take any such other corrective action it deems appropriate to assure proper sportsmanship, the safety and well-being of all participants, and the integrity and standards of the event.
- All teams, coaches, players, and spectators are subject to such rulings and corrective actions.
- Any coach, player, or spectator who is ejected from a game by a game official or the Site Director may be subject to further suspensions or removal from the MBL.
- Grade/Age Based Eligibility - Events will be organized by grade divisions only. Each division will also have minimum and maximum age standards that apply.
- Playing "Up" - A player may play up in one higher grade division than his/her grade.
- Gender Specific Divisions - Players are only allowed to play in a division that coincides with his/her gender.
- Teams with ten (10) or less players: Each player must play a minimum of 16 minutes or 50% of the game.
- If there is a violation on minimum playing time, the coach of the team that is in violation will be assessed a technical foul and potential forfeiture of the game.
- The referee will signal the clock to stop on the closest dead ball to the 4 minute mark in each quarter. Each team will have the opportunity to substitute. The 4 minute stoppage in each quarter or the breaks between each quarter are the only time substitutions are allowed. There will be no free subs.
- The only exception to this rule is in the 7th-9th grade divisions. Free substitution is allowed in these divisions.
adult league rules