Gameplay Rules
The National High School Federation (NHSF) rules & regulations will apply to any rule not specified below.
All games will be officiated by two certified referees, licensed by accredited association at the high school level or higher.
1. Game Length
Roster Rules
Fair play. It's recommended that all players show proof of age and grade by providing a birth certificate and report card.
1. Teams are allowed a maximum of 12 players on a team.
2. A player can play on two teams in the same tournament as long as the following conditions are met:
3. No additions to a roster are allowed after tournament play has begun.
4. A player MUST play in at least one Pool Play game in order to be eligible for Bracket Play.
5. Challenging the eligibility of an opposing team's player:
Bench Rules
1. Teams are allowed 3 bench personnel. (Example: Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Bookkeeper)
2. The following Dress Code will be enforced at:
3. Benches must be cleaned of bottles/trash/spills after every game.
General Rules
1. Forfeits
2. Team Check-In
3. Waivers
Sportsmanship Rules
1. No fighting will be tolerated.
4. Formal Complaints
Refund Policy
No refunds.
The National High School Federation (NHSF) rules & regulations will apply to any rule not specified below.
All games will be officiated by two certified referees, licensed by accredited association at the high school level or higher.
1. Game Length
- 8U-12U (or 2nd-6th grade) will play two 14-minute, stopped-time halves. (28.5 size ball)
- 13U-17U (or 7th-8th grade) will play two 16-minute, stopped-time halves. (29.5 size ball; girls use 28.5 size ball)
- Pre-Game Warm-Up time will last 3 minutes; please prepare to play/stretch prior to warm-up
- Halftime will last 2 minutes
- The first Overtime will last 1 minute (stopped-time). The 2nd OT will be determined by Sudden Death (first basket to score will be declared winner.
- Each team will have 3 Timeouts per game.
- Each team will have 1 Timeout per Overtime period
- Timeouts from regulation do not carry over to Overtime periods
- Teams will begin in Pool Play and be seeded for Bracket Play based on Pool Play results.
- A team's seed for Bracket Play will be determined by the following, in order (tie-scenarios below):
- Pool Play Record
- Point Differential (+/- 20 points; the most a team can win by and receive credit for is 20 points)
- Points Allowed (the team with the fewest points scored against them in Pool Play is higher seed)
- If 2 teams have a tied record after Pool Play, the winner of the head-to-head matchup is awarded the higher seed.
- If 2 teams did not play head-to-head, Point Differential (see above) is applied to determine seeding.
- If 2 teams also have the same Point Differential, the team who allowed the least amount of points in Pool Play would be awarded the higher seed (using this formula, there is no benefit to running up the score, rather the benefit is in stopping the opposing team from scoring).
- If 3 teams are tied, head-to-head match-ups are not applicable in determining seed for Bracket Play.
- If 3 teams are tied, Point Differential is applied; the team with the highest Point Differential is awarded the high seed.
- If a tie in Point Differential exists, Points Allowed (see above) will determine seed for Bracket Play.
- The clock will run continuously if at any time the lead is 20 points or more; the clock will resume normal operation once the lead is back below 20 points.
- There is no defensive pressing allowed when the Mercy Rule is in effect.
Roster Rules
Fair play. It's recommended that all players show proof of age and grade by providing a birth certificate and report card.
1. Teams are allowed a maximum of 12 players on a team.
2. A player can play on two teams in the same tournament as long as the following conditions are met:
- The teams are from the same organization.
- The player meets the eligibility criteria for both teams.
- Once bracket play (elimination play) begins, the player must remain on one team. Participating on two teams during bracket play is not permitted.
3. No additions to a roster are allowed after tournament play has begun.
4. A player MUST play in at least one Pool Play game in order to be eligible for Bracket Play.
5. Challenging the eligibility of an opposing team's player:
- Only a Head Coach can challenge the eligibility of an opposing team's player.
- Fans, parents, and assistant coaches are not allowed to make an official challenge.
- Challenges must be made to tournament director before the game starts, no challenges can occur during gameplay.
- If challenge is incorrect, the challenging team will lose a timeout and be assessed a technical foul.
- If challenge is correct, ineligible player is disqualified, offending team loses a timeout and is assessed a technical foul.
- There is no cost to challenge the eligibility of a player.
Bench Rules
1. Teams are allowed 3 bench personnel. (Example: Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Bookkeeper)
- Teams will receive 2 complimentary coach's bands at Team Check-In.
- The three permitted bench personnel must be listed in your Tourney Team account; only the listed coaches can receive a complimentary coach's band.
- Home Team (designated on schedule) will provide official bookkeeper, game ball, and will wear light-color jerseys.
- Wristbands must be worn on wrist at all times for the duration of the tournament; entry into gym cannot be permitted without a wristband.
- Lost coach's bands must be repurchased at the going spectator rate.
2. The following Dress Code will be enforced at:
- All coaches (including assistant coaches and bench personnel) are suggested to wear a Team Polo or team t-shirt; shorts and jeans are permitted to wear.
- Excluded apparel includes, but is not limited to: Tank tops, open-toe sandals, flip-flops, pajama-style sweats.
- Hats are acceptable only if hat represents organization and must be worn properly.
- Judgment of acceptable attire will be the responsibility of tournament representative.
3. Benches must be cleaned of bottles/trash/spills after every game.
- Failure to clean up your bench area, especially after multiple instances, may result in forfeiture of tournament game.
General Rules
1. Forfeits
- A 5-minute grace period is allowed for late-arriving teams; failure to be on the court prepared to play by 5 minutes after the official game start time will result in a forfeit.
- If two forfeits by one team occur in the same tournament, that team is not permitted to advance to bracket play.
- The resulting score of a forfeited game will be 15-0, in favor of the non-forfeiting team.
2. Team Check-In
- Teams should arrive at facility at least 60 minutes prior to their start of their 1st game to properly check-in with a tournament official.
- Coaches should be prepared to show a clean copy of roster, birth certificate, and report card at Team Check-In.
- It's highly suggested your players obtain a National Sports ID (See Roster Rules above).
- Paperwork/Team Binder must be organized and prepared for review before Team Check-In process begins.
- All teams must go through the Team Check-In process before taking the floor.
3. Waivers
- ALL participating athletes must have a current waiver on file with signed by a parent/guardian. Waivers must be completed by all players, coaches, and spectators. It's the coach's responsibility to have each player waiver signed by parent/guardian.
Sportsmanship Rules
1. No fighting will be tolerated.
- Any player, coach, or spectator who is ejected for fighting is immediately suspended for the remainder of the tournament and is ineligible for a refund.
- Players involved in fights risk being barred from competing in future events at The Rock Hill Sports and Events Center.
- Upon receiving 2nd technical foul in a game, coaches/players will be ejected and must leave the building.
- Receiving 3 technical fouls in same tournament will result in coach/player being dismissed for remainder of event.
- All players, coaches, parents, spectators, and staff are to act in an appropriate manner.
- Officials may remove individuals from the facility or defer to law enforcement for hostile behavior.
4. Formal Complaints
- All formal complaints, concerns, or compliments can be submitted by clicking here.
Refund Policy
No refunds.