Art. 1 Mini-Basketball - Definition
Mini-Basketball is a game for boys and girls who are twelve years or less in the year the competition begins.
Mini-Basketball is played by 2 teams of 5 players each. The aim of each team is to score in the opponents’ basket and to prevent the other team from scoring.
RULE TWO: DIMENSIONS AND EQUIPMENT
Art. 2 Court - Dimensions
The playing court shall have a flat, hard surface free from obstructions.
The dimensions of the courts may be varied to account for local facilities. The standard size is 28 metres in length by 15 metres in width.
It can be scaled down in size, providing the variations are in the same proportions from 26 m x 14 m to 12 m x 7 m.
Note: It is important that the free-throw line is 4 metres to the backboard.
Art. 3 Lines
The lines of a Mini-Basketball court are drawn in accordance with Diagram 1.
- The free-throw line is 4.00 m from the backboard.
- There is no 3-point field goal line or area.
The boundary lines of the long sides of the court shall be called the ‘sidelines’, and those of the short sides the ‘endlines’.
All lines on the court must be 5 cm in width and perfectly visible.
DIAGRAM 1
Art. 4 Equipment
The following equipment shall be provided:
- Backboards mounted on support structures.
Each of them shall be a flat surface made of hard wood or suitable transparent material, with dimensions as shown on Diagram 2.
- Baskets comprising rings and nets.
Each of them shall be:
- 3.05 m above the floor for boys and girls of 11- 12 years of age
- 2.60 m for children under 11.
It is possible to have lower baskets for very young children.
- Basketballs.
Mini-Basketballs are similar in design to Basketballs.
Children of 9 –12 years of age should us a size 5 ball, with a circumference of 66 – 73 cm and weigh between 450 and 500 grammes.
Younger children should use a size 3 ball, with a circumference of 55 – 58 cm and weigh between 310 and 330 grammes.
- Game clock used for timing periods of play and the intervals between them.
- Official scoresheet.
- Markers numbered 1 to 5 indicating the number of fouls committed by a player.
- A loud sounding device.
- Alternating possession arrow, a red arrow on a white background, to indicate the direction of the next possession when a jump ball situation is called in a game.
RULE THREE: TEAMS
Art. 5 Players and Substitutes
Each team shall consist of 10 team members: Five players on the court and five substitutes on the bench. Five players from each team shall be on the court during playing time and may be substituted.
A member of a team is a player when he is on the court and is entitled to play. Otherwise he is a substitute.
Each team must have a coach and a captain, who shall be one of the players.
Art. 6 Uniforms
All team members shall wear the same colour uniforms. The shirts shall be numbered on the front and back.
The team may use any uniform numbers with a maximum of two digits.
Art. 7 Coach
The coach is the leader of the team. He gives advice and guidance to the players in a calm, poised, nurturing and friendly manner from the court-side and is responsible for the substitution of players.
He is assisted by the team captain, who shall be one of the players.
Before the game, the coach shall give the scorekeeper a list with the names and numbers of the team members who are to play in the game.
There are no charged time-outs in Mini-Basketball.
Zone defence is forbidden in Mini-Basketball.
RULE FOUR: PLAYING REGULATIONS
Art. 8 Playing Time
The game shall consist of two halves of twenty minutes each, with an interval of ten minutes between them. Each half is divided into two periods of ten minutes each, with an interval of two minutes between them.
The playing time is controlled by the timekeeper.
Art. 9 Beginning of the Game
Each game is started by a jump ball in the centre circle and begins when the ball is legally tapped by one of the jumpers.
The referee shall make the toss between any two opponents.
All the other periods begin when the ball touches a player on the court after a throw-in at the centre line, according to the alternating possession method.
For the second half the teams shall exchange baskets.
Art. 10 Jump Ball and Alternating Possession
A jump ball occurs when the referee tosses the ball in the centre circle between any two opponents at the beginning of the first period.
During a jump ball, the two jumpers shall stand inside the half of the circle nearest to their own basket. The non-jumpers shall remain outside the circle until the ball has been tapped.
The ball shall be tapped by one or both of the jumpers only after it reaches its highest point.
A player shall not violate provisions governing a jump ball. As a penalty, the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in.
If there is violation by both teams or if the referee makes a bad toss, the jump ball shall be retaken.
A jump ball situation occurs when:
- Two or more players of opposing teams have one or both hand(s) firmly on the ball (held ball).
- The ball goes out-of-bounds and the two referees are in doubt or disagree which of the opponents last touched the ball.
- The ball goes out-of-bounds and it was last touched simultaneously by two opponents.
- A live ball lodges on the basket support.
- A double foul is called.
- To begin periods 2, 3 & 4.
The alternating possession is a method of causing the ball to become live with a throw-in rather than a jump ball, i.e. in all jump ball situations, teams will alternate possession of the ball for a throw-in at the place nearest to where the jump ball situation occurred.
The team that did not gain control of the ball on the court after the jump ball at the beginning of the first period, will start the alternating possession.
The team entitled to the alternating possession throw-in shall be indicated by the arrow in the direction of the opponents’ basket.
The direction of the arrow is reversed immediately, when the ball touches a player on the court after the throw-in.
ALTERNATING POSSESSION ARROW
Art. 11 Status of the Ball
The ball can be either live or dead.
The ball becomes live when:
- During the jump ball the ball is legally tapped by a jumper.
- During a free throw, the ball is at the disposal of the free-throw shooter.
- During a throw-in, the ball is at the disposal of a player for the throw-in.
The ball becomes dead when:
- Any field goal or free throw is made.
- A referee blows his whistle.
- The game clock sounds for the end of a period.
The ball does not become dead and the goal counts, if made, when:
- The ball is in flight on a shot for a field goal and
- A referee blows his whistle.
- The game clock sounds for the end of a period.
- A player commits a foul on any opponent while the ball is in control of the opponent in the act of shooting for field goal and who finishes his shot with a continuous motion, which started before the foul occurred.
Art. 12 Goal - When Made and its Value
A goal is made when a live ball enters the basket from above and remains within or passes through the net.
A goal from the field counts two points and a goal from a free throw counts one point.
After a field goal or successful last free throw, the opponents shall have the ball to make a throw-in within 5 seconds, from any point on or behind the endline.
2 POINTS
FIELD GOAL
1 POINT
FREE THROW
Art. 13 End of the Game. Tied Score
The game shall terminate on the sounding of the game clock signal indicating the end of the playing time. If the score is a tie at the expiration of the fourth period, the result shall stand and no extra time shall be played.
Art. 14 Substitutions
Each player must play in two periods , except a player who is injured, disqualified or has committed five fouls.
Each player shall therefore sit on the bench as a substitute for the remaining two periods, except when it is necessary to replace a player who is injured, disqualified or has committed five fouls. Even under those special circumstances, a player must remain a substitute for one full period.
Art. 15 How the Ball is Played
The ball is played with the hand(s) only and may be passed, shot or dribbled in any direction, subject to the restrictions of these Rules.
To run with the ball, deliberately kick or strike it with the fist is a violation. However, to accidentally come in contact with the ball with any part of the leg is not a violation.
Art. 16 Control of the Ball
A player is in control of the ball when:
- He is holding a live ball.
- He is dribbling a live ball.
A team is in control of the ball when a player of that team is in control of a live ball or when the ball is being passed between team-mates.
Art. 17 Player in the Act of Shooting
A player is in the act of shooting when, in the judgement of a referee, he starts an attempt to score. The act of shooting ends when the ball has left the shooter’s hand(s), and in case of an airborne shooter, both feet have returned to the floor.
RULE FIVE: VIOLATIONS
Art. 18 Violations - Definition
A violation is an infraction of the Rules that is penalised by awarding the ball to the opponents for a throw-in from out-of-bounds at the place nearest to where the infraction took place.
Art. 19 Throw-In
A throw-in occurs when the ball is passed into the court from out-of-bounds, at the place indicated by a referee, except if it is after a field goal or a last successful free throw.
A referee must hand or toss the ball to the player who is to take the throw-in.
From the moment the ball is at the disposal of the player, he has five seconds to throw the ball to another player on the court.
When a throw-in is being taken, no other player may have any part of his body over the boundary line; otherwise the throw-in is retaken.
Art. 20 Location of a Player and Referee
The location of a player is determined by where he is touching the floor or when he is in the air, where he last touched the floor as far as the lines are concerned.
The same applies to a referee.
Art. 21 Player-Out-of-Bounds. Ball Out-of-Bounds
A player is out-of-bounds when he touches the floor or any object on, above or outside the boundary line, except a player.
The ball is out-of-bounds when it touches a player, the floor or any object, including the backboard support or the back of the backboard on, above or outside the boundary lines.
To cause the ball to go out-of-bounds is a violation and the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in.
Art. 22 Pivot
A pivot is the legal movement in which a player who is holding the ball, steps once or more than once in any direction with the same foot, while the other foot, called the pivot foot, is kept at its point of contact with the floor.
Establishing a pivot foot for a player who catches a ball on the court:
- While standing with both feet on the floor:
- The moment one foot is lifted, the other becomes the pivot foot.
- While moving or dribbling:
- If both feet are off the floor and the player lands, the foot that lands first becomes the pivot foot.
Art. 23 Progressing with the Ball
A player may progress with the ball in any direction within the following limits:
Progressing with the ball for a player who has established a pivot foot:
- While standing with both feet on the floor:
- To start a dribble, the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released from the hands(s).
- To pass or shoot for a field goal, the player may jump off a pivot foot, but neither foot may be returned to the floor before the ball is released from the hand(s).
- While moving or dribbling:
- To start a dribble, the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released from the hands(s).
- To pass or shoot for a field goal, the player may jump off a pivot foot and land on one foot or both feet simultaneously. After that both feet may be lifted but may not be returned again to the floor before the ball is released from the hand(s).
To progress with the ball in excess of these limits is a travelling violation and the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in.
Art. 24 Dribbling
If a player in control of the ball wishes to progress with it, he may dribble, that is to bounce the ball on the floor with one hand.
A player is not allowed to:
- Dribble the ball with two hands at the same time.
- Let the ball come to rest on the hand(s) and then continue to dribble.
To dribble a second time after the first dribble has ended is a violation and the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in.
The following are not considered as dribbles:
- Successive shots for a field goal.
- Tapping the ball from the control of another player and then recovering it.
DOUBLE DRIBBLE
Art. 25 Three Second Rule
A player shall not remain in the opponents’ restricted area for more than three seconds whilst his team is in control of the ball in his frontcourt and the game clock is stopped.
Art. 26 Closely Guarded Player
A player who is holding a live ball on the court is closely guarded when an opponent is in an active guarding position at a distance of no more than one normal step away.
A violation shall be called if a closely guarded player with the ball does not pass, shoot or dribble the ball within five seconds. The ball is then awarded to the opponents for a throw-in.
Art. 27 Ball Returned to Backcourt
A player who is in control of a live ball may not cause the ball to be illegally returned to his backcourt. This restriction is valid also for the throw-ins.
The ball has been illegally returned to the backcourt when a player of the team, in control of the ball, is the last to touch the ball in his frontcourt, after which that player or a team-mate is the first to touch the ball in his backcourt.
To return illegally the ball to the backcourt is a violation and the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the nearest place to where the violation took place.
RULE SIX: FOULS
Art. 28 Fouls - Definition
A foul is an infraction of the rules concerning illegal personal contact with an opponent and/or unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Art. 29 Personal Foul
A personal foul is a player's foul, which involves contact with an opponent.
A player shall not hold, block, push, charge, trip or impede the progress of an opponent by extending his hand, arm, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee or foot, nor by bending his body into an "abnormal" position nor use any rough tactics.
If personal contact occurs and results in an unfair advantage, not intended by the Rules, the referee shall call a personal foul against the player responsible for the contact and the foul shall be recorded on the scoresheet.
If the foul is committed on a player who is not in the act of shooting, the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in.
If the foul is committed on a player who is in the act of shooting and the shot for goal is not successful, he is awarded two free throws.
If the foul is committed on the player who is in the act of shooting and the shot for goal is successful, no free throw is awarded and the game is started by a throw-in taken by the opponents from the endline.
COMMON FOUL
Art. 30 Unsportsmanlike Foul
An unsportsmanlike foul is a personal foul, which in the opinion of a referee, is not a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the Rules.
If a player in an effort to play the ball causes excessive contact (hard foul), then this contact shall also be judged to be unsportsmanlike.
A player charged with two unsportsmanlike fouls shall automatically be disqualified.
Two free throws are awarded to the player who was fouled by an unsportsmanlike foul, unless this player was shooting and succeeded in scoring followed by a throw-in for the same team at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table.
Art. 31 Disqualifying Foul
A disqualifying foul is any flagrantly unsportsmanlike behaviour of a player.
Two free throws are awarded to the opponents followed by a throw-in for the same team at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table.
Art. 32 Double Foul
A double foul is a situation in which two opponents commit personal fouls against each other at approximately the same time.
A personal foul shall be charged against each offending player and a jump ball situation occurs.
DOUBLE FOUL
RULE SEVEN: RULES OF CONDUCT
Art. 33 Technical Foul
In Mini-Basketball all players shall always show the best spirit of cooperation, sportsmanship and fair play.
Any deliberately or repeated non-compliance with the spirit of this Rule shall be considered as a technical foul, which is a behaviour non-contact foul.
The referee may try to prevent technical fouls by warnings or even overlooking minor technical infractions, unless there is repetition of a similar infraction after a warning.
Two free throws shall be awarded to the opponents, followed by a throw-in for the same team at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer's table.
RULE EIGHT: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Art. 34 Five Fouls by a Player
A player who has committed five fouls, personal and/or technical, shall be informed thereof by the referee and must leave the game immediately.
He must be replaced by a substitute.
Art. 35 Free Throws
A free throw is an opportunity given to a player to score one point, uncontested from a position behind the free-throw line and inside the semicircle.
The free-throw shot shall be made within five seconds after the ball is at the disposal of the free-throw shooter. Whilst the player is attempting a free throw, he shall not touch the free-throw line nor the restricted area, until the ball enters the basket or strikes the ring.
When a player is attempting a free throw, a maximum of five other players shall occupy the restricted area places:
- Two players from the defending team may occupy the two places near the basket.
- Two players from the shooter's team may occupy the next two places.
- One player from the defending team may occupy one of the next two places.
The players in the restricted area places:
- Shall not occupy rebound places to which they are not entitled.
- Shall not enter the restricted area or leave the places until the ball has left the hand(s) of the free-throw shooter.
All the players who are not in these places, shall be behind the free-throw line extended until the ball touches the ring or it is evident that it will not touch it.
If the last free throw does not touch the ring, the ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the free-throw line extended.
No player from either team may touch the ball until it touches the ring.
An infraction of these Rules is a violation:
- If committed by the free-throw shooter, the point, if made, shall not count and ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the free-throw line extended unless there is a further free throw to be administered.
- If a free throw is successful, all violations committed by any player(s) other than the shooter are disregarded and the point shall count.
- If a free throw is not successful and a violation is committed by:
- A team-mate of the shooter during the last free throw, the ball shall be awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the free-throw line extended unless there is a further free throw to be administered.
- An opponent of the shooter, a substitute free throw shall be awarded to the shooter.
- Both teams on the last free throw, a jump ball situation occurs.
RULE NINE: DUTIES AND POWERS OF OFFICIALS
Art. 36 Officials and their Assistants
The officials shall be a referee and an umpire, who shall be assisted by a scorekeeper and a timekeeper.
They shall conduct the game in accordance with the Rules.
Both referees are responsible for calling fouls and violations, to award or cancel field goals and free throws and to administer penalties according the Rules.
The referee has also the power to make a decision on any point not covered by these Rules.
Art. 37 Scorekeeper
The Scorekeeper is responsible for the Scoresheet.
He keeps a running summary of the points scored, recording the field goals and free throws made.
He shall record all the fouls of the players, indicating the number of the foul by raising the marker.
The Scorekeeper shall operate the alternating possession arrow.The Timekeeper shall be provided with a game clock and a stopwatch and shall:
- Measure playing time and intervals of play.
- Ensure that a signal sounds very loudly at the end of playing time in a period.
The Timekeeper shall measure playing time as follows:
- Starting the game clock when:
- During a jump ball, the ball is tapped by a jumper.
- During a throw-in the ball touches or is touched by a player on the court.
- A last free throw is unsuccessful and the ball continues to be live, the ball is touched by a player on the court.
- Stopping the game clock when:
- Time expires at the end of playing time in a period.
- A referee blows his whistle.
The Scoresheet - Instructions to the Scorekeeper
A. Before the game starts fill in, using capital letters:
- The names of the teams.
- Date, time, place, number of the game and name of the competition.
- Names of the referees.
- Names and numbers of the players in numerical order.
- Names of the coaches.
B. During the game:
- At the beginning of each period put an X in the "Play in" column for each of the 5 players on the court.
- There are 4 columns for the running score: 2 for team A and 2 for team B. Record the individual points scored by each player by drawing a diagonal line " / " for a valid field goal scored and filled circle " o " for any valid free throw scored the correct "running" score column.
Then in the empty space beside, enter the number of the player who scored.
- At the end of each period, put a circle round the latest scores of each team and rule a line immediately below them.
- Enter the scores for each half in the appropriate boxes.
- If a personal foul is committed write "P" in the appropriate foul box to the right of the player's number.
- If an unsportsmanlike foul is committed write "U".
- If a disqualifying foul is committed write “D”.
- If a technical foul is committed write “T”.
C. After the end of the game:
- Complete the "Final Score" and the name of the winning team.
FIBA MINI-BASKETBALL
