PLAYING AREA:

• Basketball games are played half court. Boundary line widths vary depending on venue.

REFS:

• Volunteer Refs will be at each game. 
  • If you would like to ref please email fantastic@ossosports.com
• Arguing with Refs will not be tolerated and may result in technical fouls, ejection & suspension.

EQUIPMENT:

• OSSO will provide one regulation 29.5” game basketball for each court. An alternate game ball may be used if agreed to by both captains.
• Athletic shoes with non-marking soles are required while on the court.
• The following items are not permitted:
  • Athletic braces or casts made from hard, unyielding material.
  • Headgear containing hard, unyielding, or stiff material (including billed hats)
  • Jewelry (except for smooth wedding bands)

CODE OF CONDUCT:

• Lighthearted trash talking is permitted.
• Players who instigate and or use personal profanity, such as “F*** You” will receive a warning.
  • A second event with the same player(s) will result in an ejection for those involved.
  • Repeat offenses by the same player(s) will result in a suspension. The duration of the suspension will be determined on a case by case basis depending on the severity of the incident.
• Racial slurs, hate speech, or discriminatory language of any kind will result in immediate ejection, complete suspension, and removal from the league.
  • Individuals who engage in this behavior are not welcome back.
  • This applies to players, spectators, and anyone involved with the game.
• Any act of physical violence – including fighting, shoving, or intentional aggression – will result in immediate ejection, complete suspension, and removal from the league.
  • Individuals who engage in this behavior are not welcome back.
  • This applies to players, spectators, and anyone involved with the game.
• If there is a dispute about a score or rule
  • A Captain may ask for a meeting with the opposing Captain and the League Coordinator to get the call right. 
• If a judgement call goes in your team’s favor when it shouldn’t have, your Captain CAN and SHOULD speak up to the correct call.
• Remember that we are a SOCIAL SPORTS LEAGUE that values FUN and COMMUNITY above all else.
  • As a result, we must acknowledge that we are all imperfect people playing an imperfect game, and that wrong calls will inevitably be made.
  • These errors should be accepted with grace.
  • Our goal is to create a FUN and INCLUSIVE environment for ALL players while always striving for fairness.

PLAYING ROSTER:

• The minimum roster is 5 players. There is no maximum on the roster as long as those players are paid registrants.
  • Players not registered for the league cannot play.

FORMAT:

• 3 v 3 – half court – open gender. 
• Each team plays two games per night during the regular season. 
  • Each game shall consist of a single 20-minute period.
    • INCLUDING any desired warm-up time. 
  • One 2 minute half time at 10 minutes.
• Each team is allowed two 30-second timeouts per game.
• The game clock does not stop during timeouts except if the game clock is under 1 minute and the game score is within 10 points.
• The game clock will run continuously except in cases of an official timeout (injury, equipment, etc) or a timeout under 1 minute with game score within 10 points.
• A dead-ball free throw that increases the score to more than 10 points does not start the clock immediately.
  • The clock will start at first touch.
• Whichever team has scored more points at the end of the 20-minute period will be declared the winner.
• Regular season games CAN end in a tie.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• Substitutions may be made only when a team will gain possession of the ball and the ball is not in play, I.E. Dead Ball.
• Abuse of this rule will not be tolerated (ex: subbing every possession in order to run out the clock)

SCORING:

• 2 points = Buckets made from on or inside the arc.
• 3 points = Buckets made from outside the arc.

TEAM POSSESSION:

• Initial possession shall be determined by jump ball.
• When a “jump ball” occurs, possession shall be awarded to the defending team.
  • Jump ball call: If two players from opposing teams have equal claim to the ball, ending in a stalemate. 
• Stalling is not permitted.  
• The Referee, at his or her discretion, will initiate a ten-second count to prevent stalling and other delays in action. 
  • If the team in possession has not attempted a shot that is successful or has struck the ring or flange at the expiration of the ten-second count a violation will be called and the defending team awarded possession.
• A player shall not be permitted to have any part of his or her body remain in the free throw lane for more than three consecutive seconds while a live ball is in control of that player’s team.

FOULS:

• The Referee will record all team fouls.  Personal fouls are not recorded. 
  • However, a player deemed to be excessively fouling will be warned and subsequently disqualified if the behavior continues.
• If the fouling team has committed nine or fewer fouls, a non-shooting foul shall result in the offended team gaining possession of the ball.
• If the fouling team has committed 10 or more fouls, a non-shooting foul shall result in the fouled shooter being awarded 2 free throws.
• If a shooting foul occurs when a shot is made:
  • The bucket counts
  • 1 free throw attempt is awarded.
  • The defending team shall be granted possession after the free throw.
• If a shooting foul occurs when a shot is missed:
  • Shooters shall be awarded free throws based on the point value of the attempted shot.
    • 1 shot = Original shot was made but a foul occurred. 
    • 2 shots = Shot attempted from on or inside the arc.
    • 3 shots = Shot attempted from outside the arc.
• Under a minute
  • a non-shooting foul is a 1&1.
• The offended team shall be awarded possession following the completion of any free throw attempts.
• A flagrant foul will result in immediate disqualification of the offending player for the remainder of the night plus the following week.
  • Repeated flagrant fouls or other continued misconduct by any player/team will result in game forfeiture for the remainder of the night plus the following week.
• A Technical Foul is 1 free throw.
  • A Technical Foul is a penalty for:
    • Excessive contact 
    • Arguing with the Ref.
    • Taunting.
    • Delay of game.
  • A team who is technically fouled shall be awarded 1 free throw and possession following the free throw attempt.
    • Any member of the offended team may attempt the free throw.
  • A second technical foul will result in immediate disqualification of the offending player for the remainder of the night.
  • Further actions in response to intentional, technical, or flagrant fouls, including additional suspensions and expulsion from the league, will be made at the discretion of the OSSO.

PLAYOFF SPECIFIC RULES:

• ONLY rostered players may play in playoffs (same as regular season, no subs will be allowed unless they are registered players).
  • We are aware that EVERYONE thinks their team’s roster situation deserves an exception just this one time. 
  • Don’t do it. You will get caught, you’ll forfeit, you’ll be mad & it just makes what would have been a great night for everyone else really awkward. 
  • Play your match for fun & may the best team of legally rostered players win the Championship.
• If a team forfeits, Teams may play for fun, but the non-forfeiting team will move on in the playoffs.
• For playoff games only, a tie score at the end of regulation time (20 minutes) will result in overtime.  
  • Overtime:
    • Overtime is 10 minute periods. 
    • Overtime periods are untimed.
    • Initial possession shall be determined by Rock/Paper/Scissors.
    • The first team to score 5 points in any manner during the overtime period shall be declared the winner.  
    • It is not necessary to win by two points.
  • Each team is allowed one 30-second timeout during the overtime period.

DYNASTY RULE:

• Everyone loves a little competition, but one team dominating a league season after season can spoil the fun for everybody.
• If a team retaining more than three players has won three championships in consecutive seasons for which they have been registered, OSSO will have the option to, in its discretion, request that team to form two or more separate teams to promote parity in the league or withdraw their registration. That team will then have the opportunity to form two separate teams with each subsequent roster approved by OSSO.

Any rules not specifically mentioned here are at the discretion of the OSSO Basketball Coordinator and will be determined with Safety, Fairness & Fun in mind.