AGE DIVISIONS
The SCPRD offers the following levels of basketball, based on age:
BUDDY Basketball for children ages 5 and 6
FLEA League for children ages 7 and 8
MITE League for children ages 9 and 10
MIDGET League for children ages 11 and 12
The age control date for youth basketball is January 1st.
A player may play above their age division, provided there is only a one year age gap between their playing age and the minimum age of the league. EXAMPLE: A nine year old could not play in the MIDGET league because there is a two year age gap between his age and the minimum age for the league, which is eleven.
The only players allowed to play below their age division are those with physical or mental disabilities who have documented proof and their disability and have been pre-approved by the SCPRD.
GOVERNING RULES
All games will be governed by the current rules and regulations of the Georgia High School Association with the exceptions found in the GRPA Athletic Manual and this local rule book.
The basketball program is sponsored and operated by the SCPRD. It is under the general direction of the agency's athletic manager. Each gym supervisor is responsible for the age division in their gym and all report to the Athletic Manager.
LENGTH OF GAMES / PRE-GAME
FLEA & MITE Leagues will play four quarters of six minutes each.
MIDGET League will play four quarters of eight minutes each.
There will be a continuously running clock except for the final two minutes of each half.
Prior to the beginning of each game, every player that is on the roster will shoot one free throw. All made free throws will be recorded in the official scorebook and on the scoreboard. If team "A" has eight players and team "B" has seven players, then team "B" will have one of their players shoot an additional free throw so that both teams had an equal number of shots. This gives everyone present the chance to score at least one point.
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
A team must have at least four players to begin the game. If at any time a team falls below four players, the game is a forfeit.
In FLEA League, there is no full court press. Once the defensive team gets a rebound, the other team must retreat to the other end of the court, beyond the half court line.
In MITE and MIDGET Divisions, there is no full court press in the first four minutes of the first quarter. The first violation is a verbal warning, all additional violations result in a one shot technical foul.
Each team is given four time outs per game…not per half!
If the game is tied at the end of regulation play, a two minute overtime period will be played. The clock will operate by regulation, not run continuously. Each team will receive one additional time out per overtime period.
While all leagues use the continuous clock, on a shooting foul, the clock will be stopped until all players are lined up correctly on the lane. Once the shooter is given the basketball, the clock will begin running.
Any player or coach ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct must leave the gym immediately and sit out the remainder of that game plus the following game. A coach that receives a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct is restricted to a sitting position on the bench. A second technical foul will result in an ejection.
PLAYING REQUIREMENTS
In all leagues, each player is required to play one half of a quarter in each half (three minutes per half in FLEA and MITE, four minutes in MIDGET). The referees will stop the game clock at the midway point of each quarter and ask for subs. If, at the midway point of the second and fourth quarters, a player has not entered the game, they will be forced to enter the game at that point.
Each scorekeeper will mark a player's playing time in the official scorebook. If the scorekeeper has performed their duties, everyone will have followed the requirement. However, it is not the responsibility of the scorekeeper to ensure the playing requirement has been met. That responsibility lies with the coach.
The violation for not meeting the playing requirement is forfeiture of that game (or the next win, if the game in question was a loss). In addition, the player not meeting the requirement is required to play the entire game the following game.
EQUIPMENT
All shoes must be soft soled, smooth, non marking basketball style shoes.
The approved basketball shall be an approved 285 or 28.5 leather or composite basketball in MITE-MIDGET. A smaller basketball may be used for FLEA league, typically known as intermediate size.
Uniforms should include a jersey with factory style, non duplicated numbers on the front and back. Legal #'s are: 0, 1-5, 10-15, 20-25, 30-35, 40-45, and 50-55.
The FLEA and MITE Divisions will play on goals that are eight and one-half feet above the floor. MIDGET league will use the regulation ten foot goal.
