USSSA BAsketball Rules

The National High School Federation Rules and Regulations (NHSF) will apply to all USSSA games with the following exceptions. 

All games will be played as follows: • 

Grades 7 thru 12 will consist of two sixteen minute halves and will use a regulation size basketball. The clock will run continuously until the last 2 minutes of the game. During the last 2 minutes of the game the clock will stop on all dead ball whistle stoppages. • 

Grades 3 thru 6 will consist of two sixteen minute halves and will use the 28.5 intermediate size ball. The clock will run continuously until the last 2 minutes of the game. During the last 2 minutes of the game the clock will stop on all dead ball whistle stoppages. 

Grades 1 and 2 will consist of two twelve minute halves and will use the 28.5 intermediate size ball. The clock will run continuously until the last 2 minutes of the game. During the last 2 minutes of the game the clock will stop on all dead ball whistle stoppages. 

Grades 1 thru 2 will play on 8 foot goals. All other grades will play on 10 foot goals. 

2. Pregame

No game will start before the scheduled time unless both coaches agree. There will be a minimum of a 5 minute warm-up period. Halftime will be 5 minutes unless both coaches agree to start earlier. 

During this meeting the referee will go over rules and answer any questions. For Pool Play games the referee will flip a coin to determine the Home/Visiting teams. The Home team will keep the book, the Visiting team will keep the scoreboard (unless the facility hosting the tournament has their own person to run the board). For Bracket game the higher seed will be the Home team and the lower seed the Visiting team.  

Each team is responsible for their warm-up and game balls and or any other items brought into the game. USSSA is not responsible for lost items. 

3. Timeouts :

 Two 30 second timeouts per half. 

4. Overtime::

There will be no overtime for pool play games.  1st Overtime – 2 minutes in length. The clock WILL stop for all dead ball whistle stoppages. Each team will get 1 additional timeout. • 2nd Overtime – SUDDEN Death – 1st point wins. The clock will stop for all whistle stoppages. 

5. Mercy Rule:

If a team is up by 15 points at any time they must stay inside the 3 point arc while on defense. If a team is up 20 points at the 2 minute mark the game the clock will continue to run. 

6. PRESSING:: 

1st through 4th Grade - LAST TWO MINUTES OF EACH HALF, 3RD AND 4TH GRADE CAN PRESS. (MERCY RULE APPLIES.) 

5th through 6th Grade - Pressing will be allowed. 

7. Pool Standings / Brackets.:

 Pool Standings Sorted on the following:
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1) Winning Percentage - Descending
2) Number Wins - Descending
3) Number Loses - Ascending
4) Tied Teams (vs. each other) Winning Pct - Descending [Not valid if all tied teams have not played each other]
5) Avg Points Allowed - Ascending
6) Avg Run Differential with a maximum of (20) - Descending
7) USSSA Points - Descending
8) Date Team Entered USSSA Database

Once past a tie breaker do not return to previous 

6 .Behavior:

Fighting and gross unsportsmanlike behavior player/parent can result in ejection/suspension from more than one game and is at the discretion of the Tournament Director and / or State Director

Suspensions from USSSA sanctioned activities shall be governed by the USSSA Constitution. 

If a team forfeits two games by not participating; the team will be disqualified from the event and cannot participate in bracket / tournament play. 

Roster Rules: 

1. Rosters are allowed a maximum of fifteen (15) players. 

2. Proof of age and grade is required for all players on roster. Acceptable proofs of age are; clean photocopies of birth certificates, adoption papers, or immigration papers. Proof of grade is a clean copy of any report card of the current school year or school document that indicates current grade level. Teams are required to have proof of age and grade upon check-in and throughout the tournament. It must be presented to USSSA representative / tournament director upon request. 

3. No roster additions will be permitted after the team has begun play of its first tournament game within any tournament. 

4. Teams participating in the National Tournament are allowed to add three (3) additional players that were not on the roster at the time of their qualification. 

Grade / Age Divisions: 

USSSA is grade based with age parameters and limitations determined by birthdate that allow players in each division to compete against other players currently at the same grade / age level. A player may qualify under the age exception rule if they have been advanced in grade due to academic excellence or parental preference. The following guide determines all eligible ages at grade levels. 

Boys & Girls 

1st Grade -An athlete must be in the 1st grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 9 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 8 before September 1, 2016. 

2nd Grade - An athlete must be in the 1st grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 10 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 9 before September 1, 2016. 

3rd Grade - An athlete must be in the 3rd grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 11 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 10 before September 1, 2016. 

4th Grade - An athlete must be in the 4th grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 12 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 11 before September 1, 2016. 

5th Grade - An athlete must be in the 5th grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 13 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 12 before September 1, 2016. 

6th Grade - An athlete must be in the 6th grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 14 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 13 before September 1, 2016. 

7th Grade - An athlete must be in the 7th grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 15 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 14 before September 1, 2016. 

8th Grade - An athlete must be in the 8th grade or below for the 2016-17 school year and cannot turn 16 prior to September 1, 2016. Age Exception: Athlete does not turn 15 before September 1, 2016. 

 Divisions of Play: 

USSSA Basketball offers five divisions of play 

• Div I - Elite Teams 

• Div II - Competitive Teams 

• Div III – Developing Competitive • School • Recreation 

Protest 

All roster protest must be filed in writing accompanied by a $100.00 protest fee (refundable if the protest is valid) with the Tournament Director within one (1) hour of the conclusion of the protested game. If the protest is valid, the protested team forfeits all previous games. Upon protest, teams must provide proof of eligibility. (See roster rules for acceptable proofs of age and grade). 

• All non-roster protest must be filed in writing within one (1) hour of the conclusion of the contest and must be accompanied by a $100.00 protest fee (refundable if protest is upheld). Official’s calls are not grounds for a protest. 

• Tournament Directors rulings on protest are final. 

Mercy Rule:

If a team is up by 15 points at any time they must stay inside the 3 point arc while on defense. If a team is up 20 points at the 2 minute mark the game the clock will continue to run. 

Upon becoming aware that a participant of a team has received a suspected concussion (or has been struck in the head area with any significant force), the Coach will not allow that person to participate in any USSSA sanctioned event and if occurring during a USSSA sanctioned event, shall have that person removed from play of that event. 

Upon becoming aware that a participant has received a suspected concussion (or has been struck in the head area with any significant force), a referee or tournament director will have that person removed from the court of any USSSA sanctioned event. 

Without a written medical clearance from a licensed medical doctor to return to play, such persons will not be allowed to play in a USSSA sanctioned event. The medical written consent must be presented to the State Director and retained permanently by the USSSA State Director. 

Any coach, who allows a participant back in a USSSA sanctioned event without first obtaining the required written consent, may be suspended by the State Director for up to one year and upon request of the State Director, may be suspended for a longer duration by the USSSA disbarment committee. 

USSSA Basketball Rules

Arkansas State rules override National rules

Arkansas Premier tournament rules override all other rules