I. The High School Federation Rules shall be the official rules for the BHBL.

II. The following rules are supplemental to the High School Federation Rules.

• The referees may blow the whistle and stop the game to investigate the condition of a player at any time. Play will resume as soon as is practicable. The safety and wellbeing of our players is the most critical concern of the BHBL.
• The referees may stop the game as often as necessary to advise a player or coach, or to control the intensity of the game. The referees are encouraged to pause the game to instruct players on basketball fundamentals as they see fit.

III. BOOSTER AND ROOKIE DIVISIONS SUPPLEMENTAL RULES

1. All teams shall have a maximum of ten (10) players.
2. All games will start promptly at the scheduled time. There will be no grace period. The official clock will start whether the teams are playing or not. Games that begin late shall be shortened in duration accordingly.
3. There will be four (4) eight-minute running time quarters. Each quarter is divided into two, four-minute segments. There shall be a one (1) minute break between each quarter and one two (2) minute half time. There are no official timeouts in these divisions.
4. EACH AND EVERY PLAYER MUST PLAY AT LEAST HALF THE GAME. NO PLAYER CAN PLAY THE ENTIRE GAME UNLESS THERE ARE 4 OR 5 PLAYERS PRESENT. If 8 OR MORE PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, NO PLAYER MAY PLAY MORE THAN 5 SEGMENTS IF 7 PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, NO PLAYER MAY PLAY MORE THAN 6 SEGMENTS. IF 6 PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, NO PLAYER MAY PLAY MORE THAN 7 SEGMENTS.
All coaches will be required to make substitutions at the halfway point of each quarter. The player participation rule is strictly enforced. Coaches are encouraged to use the BHBL’s must play form to track substitutions.
5. Each player shall be permitted three (3) personal fouls per half. After the third foul, the player will sit out the remainder of the half.
6. Players may enter the key after the ball hits the rim on all free throw shots.
7. All teams shall play a zone defense only. The defensive court is divided into four (4) zones with a central position in the middle. The center position may play within the foul lane area only. No man-to-man defense or double-teaming will be permitted. There shall be no back-court defense allowed. Once a team has possession of the ball, the opposing team must retreat to their zone defensive positions. In the Rookie division, the defense may challenge the ball on a fast break once the offensive team advances the ball to the offensive 3-point line. In the 3rd-grade Rookie division only, all teams must play man-to-man defense and can pick up their defense at the offensive 3-point line. One player may play defense outside of the three-point line. No zone defense or boxes are used in the 3rd-grade Rookie division. In the 3rd-grade Rookie division, the 5-second lane violation rule will be in effect.
8. Each game shall start with a jump ball. After that, the alternating possession rule is in effect.
9. There shall be no forfeits. Teams shall play with reduced squads (4 on 4, etc.) if necessary. Teams with fewer than five players may “borrow” players from the opposing team if both coaches agree.
10. All referee calls are final. There shall be NO PROTESTS.
11. No official score or standings will be recorded or posted for these divisions.
12. The Rookie Elite division will play with the minor girl’s rules including score and standings.

IV. MINOR, MAJOR, SENIOR, SUPER SENIOR DIVISION SUPPLEMENTAL RULES

1. All Minor Division teams shall have a maximum of ten (10) players.
2. All Major, Senior and Super Senior Division teams shall have a maximum of ten (10) players.
3. All games will start promptly at the scheduled game time. There will be no grace period. The official clock will start whether the teams are playing or not. Games that begin late shall be shortened in duration accordingly.
4. All teams must field a minimum of four (4) players at the start of a game. Failure to field a group of at least four (4) players at the beginning of a game shall result in an automatic loss. The teams shall play the game as scheduled. There shall be no forfeits.
5. The Minor Division will play either four 9 minute quarters or two eighteen-minute running time halves. The Major, Senior and Super Senior Divisions will play either four 10 minute quarters or two twenty-minute running time halves.
6. In all divisions, the time-clock will stop as follows:
o During the last two minutes of the fourth quarter;
o When the referee stops the clock.
7. The time-clock will NOT stop in the last two minutes if:
A Minor Division team has a lead of ten (10) points or more,
A Major, Senior or Super Senior Division team has a lead of ten (10) points or more.
8. There shall be one, one (1) minute break between each quarter and one, two (2) minute half-time.
9. In all divisions, each team shall have two (2) timeouts per half, non‐accumulating.
10. In all divisions, for all games that end regulation time in a tie, each overtime period will consist of two (2) minutes, the first-minute running time, the second minute stop time. Each team gets one (1) thirty (30) second time out per overtime period. There will be a maximum of two (2) overtime periods. All ties after the second overtime period shall remain as ties, except for playoff games.

11. EACH AND EVERY PLAYER MUST PLAY AT LEAST ONE HALF OF EACH GAME. NO PLAYER MAY PLAY THE ENTIRE GAME UNLESS THERE ARE 4 OR 5 PLAYERS PRESENT. IF 8 OR MORE PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, NO PLAYER MAY PLAY MORE THAN 5 SEGMENTS. IF 7 PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, NO PLAYER MAY PLAY MORE THAN 6 SEGMENTS. IF 6 PLAYERS ARE PRESENT, NO PLAYER MAY PLAY MORE THAN 7 SEGMENTS.

Except for an injury, substitutions can only be made at the midpoint of each quarter of each half as indicated by the scorekeeper. The referees will stop the play to allow the coaches to fulfill the requirements of the must play rule as advised by the scorekeeper.
The “MUST PLAY” rule is strictly enforced. Coaches are encouraged to use the BHBL’s must play form to track each player’s playing time. The official scorekeeper will record each player’s playing time. The scorekeeper’s scorebook will take precedence in resolving disputes. The scorekeeper will advise each coach if, the must play rule is not being adhered to. Any coach who attempts to circumvent this rule shall subject his/her team to loss of the game and further disciplinary action including suspension and/or removal as a coach.
The resolution of any dispute is determined by the scorekeeper, operations manager or commissioners. All disputes will be resolved immediately upon notice. There will be no protests.
12. A player will be disqualified from any game after receiving their fifth (5th) personal foul.
13. A technical foul called on a parent/spectator will be charged to that team’s coach.
14. A flagrant foul is any foul where a player or coach charged for the foul has caused or attempted to cause harm to another player through his/her actions on the court. A flagrant foul will be an automatic double technical foul. A player committing a flagrant foul and/or a coach may be removed from the game at the discretion of the referees.
15. In all divisions, a bonus foul shot is awarded on each foul after six (6) team Fouls per half. A double bonus of two foul shots are awarded on each foul after nine (9) team fouls per half.
16. In all divisions, the game shall start with a jump ball at center court. After that, the teams shall alternate possessions after the initial jump ball. All overtime periods will begin with a jump ball at center court.
17. In the Minor Division, the five (5) second lane violation rule shall be in effect. In the Major, Senior and Super Senior Divisions, the three (3) second lane violation rule shall be in effect.
18. In the Minor Boys division, teams may pick up their frontcourt defense at the half court line. There shall be no back-court defense for the first three quarters. In the Minor Boys division, teams may use a full court press defense at the start of the 4th quarter and in any overtime periods. In the Major Girls division, there shall be no back-court defense of any kind during the first three quarters. In the Major Girls division, teams may defend in the back-court including a full court press in the 4th quarter and any overtime periods. In the Minor Girls Division, there shall be no backcourt defense until the last 2 minutes of the game.

19. ALL REFEREE CALLS ARE FINAL. THERE SHALL BE NO PROTESTS.

20. Abusive language and any unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated and will result in ejection, possible suspension, and forfeiture of the game. This applies to coaches, players, spectators, and administrators. Please see the Rules and Procedures for the BHBL. If a player and/or coach is ejected from a contest because of unsportsmanlike conduct, the team will be assessed a two (2) technical foul penalty, and that player and/or coach will automatically receive a one-game suspension.
21. Any player and/or coach who engages in any form of fighting either before, during or after a game or any BHBL event, shall be immediately ejected from the contest and suspended for the next game, or if the game is completed, shall be suspended for the next game. Additional discipline up to a ban from the BHBL may be taken at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the BHBL.
22. If a coach receives one (1) technical foul in any game (except in the case of a technical foul assessed against the “bench” for an infraction by a spectator and/or parent), they shall be removed from the sideline and be required to sit on the team’s bench for the duration of the game. If in the judgment of the referees, any coach unnecessarily or excessively harasses the referees or scorekeepers, the referees shall have the discretion and the right to remove any and all coaches at any time during a game from the sideline and require the coaches to sit on the team’s bench for the duration of the game. If a coach refuses to abide by the referee’s decision, they shall be immediately disqualified from the competition and leave the playing area.
If a player and/or coach receive two (2) technical fouls in any single game, they shall be immediately disqualified from the competition and suspended for the next game. Once disqualified from a game, the player shall remain on the bench for the duration of the game, and the coach shall immediately leave the playing area. If a player and/or coach are disqualified from two (2) games during the season, they will be dismissed from the league for the balance of the season. Please note the rules regarding unsportsmanlike conduct for players and coaches in the Rules and Procedures. Additional discipline may be taken at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the BHBL.
23. In all divisions, officially postponed games will be played at a later date if scheduling permits. The date, time and location will be decided on the BHBL.
24. The BHBL reserves the right to discipline any participant who, in its discretion, violates the rules, procedures, spirit or philosophy of the BHBL.