Tournament Rules
Tournament and League Information
Contact us at 479-462-4922 if you want to consider Extra Special Pricing for our Tournaments! These can give you the option to play any of our events for a lower cost per team/club!
Competition Rules
All Tournament and League games will be conducted under National Federation of High School Basketball Rules, unless otherwise noted.
Boys and Girls grades 1-6 will play with a youth 28.5 ball. Boys grades 7+ will play with 29.5 size ball.
Each team MUST have an assistant coach that can start the game if conflicts in bracket arise. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Regulation Clock and Exceptions
Unless otherwise noted, a regulation clock will be used with following game length:
Grade school: 14 minute halves
JR High and HS : 14 minute halves
All overtime periods will be 2 minutes. The clock will stop under 1 minute in the 1st overtime period. 2nd overtime is sudden death.
Running Clock Rule
A running clock is used, and the clock is stopped only for time-outs, injuries or at the officials’ discretion except for last 1 minutes of 2nd half.
Free Throws
Teams will shoot 1 & 1 at 7th foul and double bonus beginning with the 10th team foul and in the act of shooting.
Half-Time & Pre-game Warm-up
Half-time will be 2 minutes.
Pre-game warm-Up will be 2 minutes.
Length of either may be reduced at the option of the Tournament Director and/or officials.
Timeouts
Each team will be allowed 3 thirty-second timeouts per game. One additional timeout will be allowed for the first overtime period.
Pressing Rules
Teams 3rd-HS are not allowed to press beyond half court with a 15 point or more lead during the game. The first violation of the “no press” rule will draw a warning from the officials; subsequent violations will be assessed a bench technical foul (indirect technical foul to Head Coach).
Teams playing in 2nd grade division may only play half court defense. No full court pressing allowed.
Tiebreaker for Pool and Round Robin Play
Two Team Tie: Winner of game between two teams tied awarded higher place, with losing team awarded next place.
Three or more teams tied: Step 1: Head to head record for tied teams, with placing/seeding based upon the head to head record. Step 2: If head to head records are the same for 3 or more teams, the Point Differential Rule is used (each team given a point differential for each game played, with a maximum +15 or –15 differential for any one game).
In the event of a forfeit, the team forfeiting shall be given -15 points and the team receiving the forfeit will be given +15 points. In the event of a double-forfeit, each team is given a loss with a point differential of 0.
Coach/Player Ejection
Any coach or player who is ejected from a game by a game official or the Site Director will not be allowed to participate in the next scheduled game for that team.
Application of Rules
The Tournament Rules may be modified whenever the Director deems it to be in the best interests of the tournament to do so and all teams, coaches, players, and attendees will be bound by any such change.
Behavior Standards
Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Each coach is responsible for the conduct of the team’s players, coaches and fans on and off the court and must promote the best sportsmanship, win or lose. The Site Director or any game official may remove a player, coach, or attendee from a game, tournament, or venue for inappropriate behavior.
Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. Each coach is responsible for the conduct of the team’s players, coaching staff and fans on and off the court and must promote the best sportsmanship, win or lose. Any member of the ESP Basketball staff or any game official may remove a player, coach, or attendee from a game, tournament, or venue for inappropriate behavior. This will disqualify the team from the tournament.
In addition to displaying sportsmanlike conduct, coaches, players, and fans are required to promote and maintain a healthy and safe environment for all. If this policy is not adhered to, any member of the ESP Basketball staff may refuse entry to future tournaments.
Player Eligibility Rules
Playing UP
A player may play up in a higher grade division.
Jerseys must have #’s on them for the player to be eligible.
Playing on Multiple Teams
A player can play on only one team within a single Grade division of any tournament. A player can play in more than one Grade division of any tournament, provided the player is Grade eligible for each division in which the player participates.
Signed Waiver & Release
The Coach or Team Manager must sign a waiver/release on behalf of the team and its players.
1st and 2nd place awards
Awards include medals, t-shirts, rings, trophies, etc!
Saturday Pool Play
Schedules will be posted to our website by Thursday at noon the week of the tournament.