League Rules

Division Q Basketball uses the FIBA Rules for Basketball with some modifications. Here are the basics:

• See this link for differences between FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules.
• Four 10-minute quarters with 5-minute overtime periods.
• Each team has two timeouts in the first half, and three in the second half (maximum of two can be used in the final two minutes of fourth quarter). Timeouts can be called by the captain or co-captains when your team has the ball or the referee has stopped play. All timeouts last one minute.
• After a team commits four fouls in a single quarter, further fouls (excluding offensive fouls) will result in two free-throw attempts (aka “the bonus”).
• Individual players “foul out” and are disqualified after five fouls, including offensive fouls.
• Shots inside the arc are worth two points, shots outside are worth three.
• Teams have 8 seconds to advance the ball past midcourt.

1. FIBA Rules: Div Q uses the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules for 5v5 Basketball. Rulings will be decided according to FIBA rules unless otherwise stated in these rules.
2. Captains and Head Coach: Unless a team designates a non-player head coach, duties assigned in the FIBA Rules are assigned instead to the captain(s). If a team has co-captains, one must be marked as a head captain and the other as assistant captain for the purpose of FIBA rules. This designation may change week to week. If no captains are present for a game or a captain is ejected from the game, another player must be chosen by the team to be the captain for the game.
3. Referees: Referees are a valued and integral part of the league community. There will be two referees assigned per game: a crew chief and an umpire. The home team is responsible for paying $25 to the crew chief, and the away team is responsible for paying $25 to the umpire. Referees must be paid before the beginning of the game.
   • While players are entitled to their opinion about calls, they are not entitled to persistently complain or abuse referees because these actions undermine the integrity of the game and discourage the development of our referees. Questions about calls should be communicated at a break in play by a team captain. Persistent complaints or abuse will result in warnings and/or technical fouls.
4. Rosters and Players: Each team will be assigned 13 players at registration if all sign-up slots are filled. Teams may add additional players to their roster due to injuries, players dropping out of the league, or attendance struggles. The maximum roster size will be 14, but a maximum of 13 players may play in a single game. (The league will organize a waitlist to fill roster slots on teams that need additional players and will make reasonable attempts to ensure that roster additions are fair).
5. Use of outside subs: If a team does not have enough rostered players to play a game, they may use players not on their roster. Use of players not on a team roster results in a loss. Captains are encouraged to use Rule #4 to add players if they are having difficulty with attendance.
6. Intervals of Play: The game will consist of four 10-minute quarters, and each overtime period will be five minutes. Breaks between the quarters will be two minutes and half-time will be 10 minutes. Teams will receive at least 10 minutes prior to the game for warm-ups. Breaks and the stopping of the clock during play may be changed if the games have fallen so far behind schedule that the league risks running out of time to complete games on a given weekend.
7. Substitution Reset: In addition to time-outs described in the FIBA rules, each team will receive five substitution Resets per half and two per overtime period. Substitution Resets may be called by any player immediately following a made basket, or when their team is in possession of the ball. When a substitution reset is called, the clock stops and both teams may make subs, but may not gather and strategize.
   • After a substitution reset, the team entitled to the ball will in-bound the ball from the extended mid-court position.
   • Only one substitution reset may be used in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and each overtime.
   • Gathering to strategize during a substitution reset or repeated failure to make a prompt substitution will result in a time-out being charged to the team. If the team is out of time-outs, it is a technical foul offense.
8. Uniforms: Teams may design their own uniforms or use the organization’s pinnies. Teams must communicate with the Board to ensure that there are no duplicate colors. Uniforms must feature clearly readable (size, font, contrast with background color) player numbers on both sides of the shirt. Players should not wear rings, earrings, or other jewelry that could be a hazard during play.
9. Schedule and Standings: The regular season shall consist of a single round robin lasting seven weeks. The standings will be determined by record.
   • Tiebreakers: 1) Head-to-head record, 2) Record against higher ranked teams, 3) Head-to-head score differential, 4) random selection.
10. Playoffs: All teams will participate in a single-elimination playoff at the end of the season.
11. Excessive Shouting: Excessive yelling for non-communicative purposes is not permitted. Players yelling excessively will be issued a warning, and a technical foul if yelling continues.
12. Discipline for in-game conduct: Div Q is committed to positive conflict resolution and believes that it is possible to change and improve behavior. However, serious infractions may result in suspension or expulsion from Div Q leagues as follows:
    • A player who is ejected for receiving two technical fouls will be suspended for the first half of their next game.
    • A player who is ejected for two unsportsmanlike fouls or a disqualifying foul will be suspended for their next game.
    • A player who receives three unsportsmanlike or technical fouls across any number of games will be suspended for the first half of their next game.
    • Players ejected for fighting will be suspended for two games at minimum.
    • The Board of Directors and Organizing Committee holds the right to increase discipline if merited, up to and including expulsion from the league.
    • Players may appeal discipline to the Board of Directors by submitting a statement in writing to the board of directors. If video of the incident exists, it may be attached. The Board of Directors will only overturn discipline if they find that the referee made a clear error in ejecting the appealing player. If a member(s) of the board of directors was on the referee crew which ejected the player, other members of the league Organizing Committee may be randomly selected as alternates.

Additional Policies

Trade/Swap Policy