Official League Rules
of the
Seattle Basketball League
Basketball Operations Dept.
Ki Hunter, Executive V.P. of Basketball Operations
Commissioners Plea
This league is about fun and making sure all who attend are comfortable. If you can not control your emotions, this league is not for you, please do not register to play. If you are a player who likes to chatter more than play basketball then this league is not for you, please do not register to play.
Section 0 - Overall Guidelines
1. Absolutely no fighting. Indefinite suspension.
2. No arguing with referees. No approaching referees or scorers table.
3. No intimidation of any kind. No bullying. No yelling in faces. No head-taps. No stare-downs.
4. No disrespectful chatter or back-and-forth.
5. Any action(s) detrimental to fair-play or continuity of the game is prohibited and may result in a technical foul or suspension.
Section I – Number of Players
1. Teams are allowed a maximum of 12 players during the time of registration.
A. After league play begins, a team is allowed to acquire players through free agency or trades for a maximum of 15 players on active roster.
B. Teams that acquire more than 15 players through trades/free agency must release players to maintain an active of no more than 15 players.
C. See policies regarding Trades and Free Agency.
2. Teams are allowed to play with only 4 players.
3. If a team has less than 4 players at the original start time of the game, the team will be given a 5 minute grace period. The clock will start after the 5-minute grace period and run for 10 minutes. If a 4th player arrives before the 10 minute run-off, the game picks up at the point of run-off.
4. If agreed on by both teams, the opposing team may select a 4th and/or 5th player for the team needing additional players.
Section II – Substitutions
1. A substitute shall report to the scorer and position himself/herself to the side of the scorer’s table.
2. The substitute shall remain in the Substitution Box until he or she is beckoned onto the court by an official.
Section III – Uniforms (Player Jerseys & Trunks)
1. Each player shall be numbered on the back and/or front of his/her jersey with a number of solid color contrasting with the color of the jersey.
2. Each player will choose his/her jersey number at the beginning of the season and wear that same number throughout the remainder of the season.
3. A 10-point jersey penalty will be assessed to the team of any player not wearing his/her assigned jersey number.
4. If matching shorts are provided by league, same rules apply.
5. No sweats, no durags, no beanies, no long-sleeve shirts. Athletic gear only, unless approved by league official prior to game.
Section IV – Last One Minute
1. When the game clock shows 1:00 in the second half, the game is considered to be in the final phase.
2. If score differential is single digits, the clock will stop on all dead-balls until the end of game or until the score differential increases to double-digits.
Section V – Foul Limit
1. Each player is allowed 5 fouls during a game. If a player reaches 5 fouls he/she is still eligible to resume play during game.
2. If a player chooses to remain in the game, the players 6th foul and above will result in the opposing team being awarded a single point and retaining possession of the ball.
Section VI – Timing
1. All halves of regulation play will be 20 minutes.
2. Each overtime period of play will be 2 minutes.
3. A second overtime will be played as sudden-death. First team to score 2 points wins.
4. If still tied after 2nd OT, the game will be decided by a coin-flip.
5. Two minutes will be permitted between halves of all games.
6. 30 seconds will be permitted before any overtime period.
7. A team is permitted a total of 30 seconds to replace a disqualified player.
8. Teams are permitted a 10 minute warm-up period prior to the start of regulation.
Section VII – Timeouts
1. Each charged timeout shall span a period of 30 seconds.
2. Each team is entitled to two (2) charged timeouts per half.
3. In overtime periods, timeouts remaining, carry over. No extra timeout will be given for OT.
Section VIII – Conduct
1. An official may assess a technical foul, without prior warning, at any time. A technical foul(s) may be assessed to any player on the court or anyone seated on the bench for conduct which, in the opinion of an official, is detrimental to the game.
2. A player that has been assessed a technical may be asked to leave the game for any period of time deemed appropriate by an official or commissioner.
3. A maximum of two technical for unsportsmanlike acts may be assessed to any player, coach or trainer. Any of these offenders may be ejected for committing only one unsportsmanlike act, and they must be ejected for committing two unsportsmanlike acts.
4. Any player or team personnel assessed a 3rd technical foul during a season will result in suspension for remainder of game and next game. Each subsequent technical foul will result in another one game suspension.
5. Any subsequent technical foul after 3 may result in suspension for the remainder of the season.
6. Any player or team personnel suspended from 2 seasons will no longer be allowed to participate in any other league events.
7. Cursing or blaspheming an official shall not be considered the only cause for imposing technical fouls. Running tirades, continuous criticism or griping may be sufficient cause to assess a technical. Excessive misconduct shall result in ejection from the game.
8. A player, coach or trainer must be ejected for:
A. A punching foul
B. A fighting foul
C. Technical foul for an attempted punch or swing with no contact or a thrown elbow toward an opponent above shoulder level with no contact
D. Flagrant foul penalty
E. Participation in the game when not on team’s active roster list
6. A player ejected from play must remove himself/herself from the court of play in a timely manner. Failure to do so will result in his or her team forfeiting game.
9. The commissioner can issue technical fouls, fines, and suspensions either, at the time of incident during the game or after the game.
Section IX - Fines and Suspensions
1. Commissioner can issue a fine or suspension and any time during the season.
2. Fines are non-monetary. Fines are enforced as point-penalties.
3. Fines and suspensions can be issued after a game has been played and film has been reviewed.
4. There is no time-limit to when a fine or suspension can be imposed.
Section X - Free Agent Teams
1. Teams with 3 or more free agents are considered to be a Free Agent Team.
2. Such teams must adhere to a 5-minute substitution policy. There will be official timeouts to allow for such substitutions.
3. Team must clear the bench of all substitute players and must not repeatedly sub out the same player(s).
4. Final 10 minutes of game, team may sub as they wish.
Section XI - Official Review / Challenge
1. Each team will be awarded one (1) "Challenge" per half.
2. Team must have a timeout to challenge.
3. The only way to request an official review is to call a timeout and specify that you would like to "Challenge" the call on the court.
4. If team wins their "Challenge", they are NOT granted another "Challenge" for that half. However, that team will be given back their timeout.
5. If team loses their "Challenge", they will not be granted another "Challenge" for the half and will also NOT be given back their timeout.
6. Any remaining "Challenge" after regulation will carry into overtime play.