Youth Basketball Tournament Rules

NDHSAA rules will be used along with the exceptions listed below. 

  1. Our tournament rules require coaches stay seated so the scorer and spectators may see the game. Any team determined to be playing with an ineligible player(s) will be immediately disqualified from the tournament.  All players must be listed on the tournament roster submitted for the tournament.
  2. Any unsportsmanlike foul on a player will also include a 4-minute cool-down. Player must sit 4 minutes of actual game time off the clock before re-entering the game.
  3. Courts will be available 45 minutes prior to first scheduled games of the day.
  4. Players must compete in their own grade classification, with the exception that players in a lower grade may participate in an older division. Players from different schools may play together. All players are eligible to participate in the proper girls or boys division. Players may be rostered on more than one team, if that team is in a higher grade division.
  5. All teams must have uniform shirts with visible numbers on back or front. Numbers are recommended on both sides.
  6. Game Ball: Women’s Ball – All Girls + Boy’s Gr. 2-8; Men’s Ball – Boy’s Gr. 7-8.
  7. 2nd-6th Grade: NO zone defense / NO full-court press, except if the score is 5 PTS OR LESS DURING THE LAST 2 MINUTES OF THE GAME; then both teams may (MAN-TO-MAN) press (not zone or scramble press).  First offense will result in a warning and the second offense will result in a technical.  A half-court man-to-man press is allowable.
  8. 7th-8th Grade: May play any type of defense/may full court press.  We strongly urge coaches to refrain from using pressure defense if the score is of a wide margin as this is unsportsmanlike!
  9. All teams will be guaranteed three games. FORFEITS ARE COUNTED AS A GAME. Bracket format will be determined by number of teams.
  10. Game time is forfeit time. You may start a game with four players.
  11. We will have two 16-minute halves with a running clock. Clock will stop for free throws and timeouts only. 3 MIN HALF TIME.
  12. Clock will stop the last two minutes of the game for all normal STOP-CLOCK game situations IF: Grades 7-8 @ 10 pts or less score difference; Grades 2-6 @ 5 pts or less score difference.
    • NOTE: Official may stop the clock at his discretion if he feels a coach is substituting at the end of the quarter with the intent of running out the clock so the other team cannot inbound the ball.
  13. 20 Point Mercy Rule: During the last 8 minutes of the 2nd half, if at any point a team is ahead by 20 points or more, from that point forward the clock will only stop for timeout or injury (clock will run during free throws.) Once this rule goes into effect, it continues even if point spread becomes less than 20 points.
  14. Players are allowed five fouls. Teams will shoot the Bonus on the seventh team foul with two shots on the 10th team foul.
  15. Teams are allowed 3 timeouts per game. Overtime periods will be two minutes, with clock stopping as in regular play.  Teams will be allowed one timeout per overtime (timeouts do not carry over.)
  16. Each team must supply their own warm-up balls.
  17. Roster changes will not be allowed after you have played your first scheduled game.
  18. Adult coaches (18 years or older) must accompany their teams during games and all other tournament activities.
  19. Tournament pairings and location of games will be posted on the tournament event page.