Last Updated: 11/25/2024

The Jr Hoops League is conducted according to the rules of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). Situations not specifically covered in these league rules shall be left to the discretion of the League Director and/or the Board of Directors.

A. General Information

1. The Jr Hoops Board of Directors serve as an advisory board, overseeing all disciplinary and eligibility cases.

2. The League Director has the final say in all league decisions, including player placement, disciplinary actions, and eligibility cases.

3. The league is open to youth in Pre-K to 8th grade.

4. The league consists of (4) co-ed divisions:

   • Future Stars Division: Pre-K (This division focuses on skills and fundamentals and does not play official games.)

   • Youngsters Division: K-2nd grade

   • Rising Stars Division: 3rd-5th grade

   • All-Stars Division: 6th-8th grade

5. More advanced players may be placed in higher divisions based on skill level.

6. Certain league rules vary by division to accommodate age and skill differences.

B. Dress Code and Safety Guidelines

1. All players must wear their Jr Hoops-issued jersey and black shorts, preferably without pockets to prevent injury.

2. Coaches are required to wear their Jr Hoops-issued coaches' polo to maintain a professional and unified appearance on the court.

3. For safety reasons, players must remove all jewelry, including rings, necklaces, earrings, wristbands, and bracelets, before entering the game.

4. Only tennis shoes or athletic footwear with non-marking soles are permitted on the gym floor; street shoes or shoes that may scuff or damage the gym surface are strictly prohibited.

C. Player Conduct

1. All players are required to follow the Jr Hoops Players' Code of Conduct and adhere to all league rules.

2. Good sportsmanship is expected from everyone involved in the game, including players, coaches, and parents.

3. Profanity, disrespectful language, or any display of poor self-control directed toward game officials, the scorekeeper, or the gym supervisor is strictly prohibited.

4. Any player or bench personnel who receives two technical fouls in a single game will be automatically ejected from that game and suspended for the following game. Additional inappropriate remarks or behavior may result in removal from the gym and potentially an extended suspension.

5. Depending on the severity of the conduct, a player or bench personnel may be ejected from the premises immediately.

D. Game Rules

Rules not covered herein, will be applied as written in the current National Federation of State High School Associations.

1. The Youngsters (K-2nd grade) and Rising Stars (3rd-5th grade) divisions will use a 28.5” basketball. The All-Stars (6th-8th grade) division will use a 29.5” basketball.

2. The home team will sit on the left side of the scorekeeping table and wear light-colored jerseys. The visiting team will sit on the right side of the scorekeeping table and wear dark-colored jerseys.

3. For most divisions, each half will be 20 minutes with a running clock, stopping only for time-outs. The Youngsters Division will play 18-minute halves with similar timing rules.

4. In the last two minutes of the second half, a full stop clock will be used, stopping for all stoppages like out-of-bounds and shooting fouls.

5. There will be a 3-minute break at halftime.

6. A team reaches 1-and-1 bonus on the 7th team foul, double bonus on the 10th team foul. Players foul out at 5 personal fouls.

7. If a time-out is called during a free throw, the clock will resume only once the ball is back in play, not during the free throw attempt.

8. Each overtime period is three minutes with a running clock, except for the last minute, which will use a full stop clock. A second overtime period will be played as SUDDEN DEATH, with the first team to score two points declared the winner.

9. Each team is allowed (3) time-outs per game, which may carry over from the first half to the second half but do not carry over into overtime. During overtime, each team is allowed one time-out, regardless of any unused time-outs from regulation play.

10. Each team should be ready to play 15 minutes before game time. A team must field at least four players by game time.

11. Any game which has a team leading by more than 15 points will have a running-clock the last 2 minutes of the game.

12. Each player must play a minimum of 15 minutes per game.

13. Every player must have playing time in each half of the game to ensure balanced participation.

14. Referees have the authority to forfeit a game if behavior from any party becomes inconsistent with the sportsmanship goals of Jr Hoops.

E. Special Rules

Youngsters Division (K-2nd grade)

1. No full-court press is permitted in the backcourt by the defensive team at any time. Penalty: The first violation will result in a warning. The second violation will result in a two-shot technical foul against the bench.

2. Free throws MAY be shot from 13 feet.

Rising Stars (3rd-5th grade) AND All-Stars Divisions (6th-8th grade)

1. In the Rising Stars Division, no full-court press is permitted at any time.

2. In the All-Stars Division, a full-court press is allowed, except when a team is leading by 15 points or more. When holding a 15-point lead, teams must refrain from using a full-court press. Penalty: The first violation will result in a warning. The second violation will result in a two-shot technical foul against the bench.

F. Tie-Breaking Procedures

1. Two-Way Tie: If two teams are tied after pool play, the tie will be determined by the head-to-head outcome between the teams.

2. Three-Way Tie: If three teams are tied, the tie will be determined by point differential, with a maximum adjustment of +/- 15 points per game. Only games involving the teams in the tie will be considered for point differential.

   • If a tie remains between two teams after calculating point differentials, head-to-head results between those two teams will determine which team advances.

   • If point differential does not resolve the tie between any of the teams (three or more teams), the tie among these remaining teams will be broken by the least points allowed against all teams involved in the tie.

3. Forfeits: In any game that results in a forfeit, the score will be recorded as 15-0. The winning team receives a +15 differential, and the forfeiting team receives a -15.