INTRAMURAL 5 on 5 BASKETBALL RULES
Except as designated below, NFHS Basketball Rules will cover any rules or play interpretations not discussed below.
Refer to the Intramural Sports Handbook for further information outlining the SDSU Intramural Sports Program.
RULE I PRE-SEASON PROCEDURE
SEC. 1 REGISTRATION
All registration and roster additions will be done through the FusionPlay App. Captains will create an account, choose a league that best fits their team’s playing ability, and enter their teammates information. Teams are placed in leagues on a first come first serve basis.
Free Agent: Free agents register through the FusionPlay App. Free agents are players who do not already have a team to play on. Free agents are not guaranteed a spot on a team if they request to join one.
SEC. 2 PARTICIPATION
Within each division (Men’s, Women’s, and Open), players may only participate with one organization or team in any sport during the same season. Players who participate in the aforementioned leagues can also participate on a Co-Rec team in the same sport in the same season. Greek players may participate in the same sport for another team during the same season as the Greek season.
Men’s Leagues are leagues in which the entire team is made up of those who identify as male.
Women’s Leagues are leagues in which the entire team is made up of those who identify as female.
Open Leagues are leagues in which those who identify as male, female, or another gender identity can participate on the team with no rules limiting number of male or female participants. This is also our most recreational friendly based league meaning that while these leagues are still competitive, we consider them to be our entry level leagues to Intramurals.
Co-Rec Leagues are leagues in which there are specific number requirements for Males and Females on the playing service at a given time along with some specialized rules that are enforced to increase fairness and equality within the game.
Greek Leagues are leagues in which all the members of the team must be current pledges or members of the organization.
SEC. 3 SPORT CLUB ATHLETES
Any individual who is rostered on one of the 22 Sports Club teams is eligible to compete in Intramurals. Teams may have no more than 3 sports club athletes for the same or related sport (e.g. club soccer players may not have more than 3 team members on the same soccer team, etc.). Any team found in violation of this will forfeit any games played where this rule was broken and be asked to remove players from the intramural team roster. Intramural teams are allowed to be composed fully of a sports club team in a none related sport (i.e. the club volleyball team can have a soccer team composed of all club volleyball players).
SEC. 4 FORFEIT FEE PROCEDURE
A team forfeits the game when they do not have the minimum number of players present at game time. The team will be given a loss and charged the forfeit fee ($40 for leagues and $25 for Tournaments). If the team forfeits two or more times in a season, they will be charged for each forfeit and will become ineligible for playoffs.
Default: If you know your team will not be able to meet the minimum number of players required to avoid a forfeit, a team has the option to take a Default. To avoid being charged a forfeit fee, come to the Aztec Recreation Center and fill out a default form. The default form must be filled out 24-48 business hours prior to your scheduled game. You will still be given a loss for the game, but it will not count as a forfeit, therefore the $40 fee will not be assessed. Default requests are accepted over the phone, email or in person.
SEC.5 CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITES
As a team captain, you accept full responsibility for both yourself and your entire team. This includes ensuring that your team is prepared and present for the three scheduled league games when the schedule releases. If the team captain/representative is not able to make it to a game, teams can still play without them and have any other active team member sub in as the captain for the game
Failure to show up for a scheduled game will result in a forfeit fee, which will be strictly enforced. If you become aware that your team cannot attend a game, it is imperative that you notify the Intramural Sports office by emailing imsports@sdsu.edu with at least 24 to 48 hours' notice prior to the scheduled game. This policy applies without exceptions per SEC. 4 above
Team Captains are responsible for keeping their roster up-to-date and for adding players prior to the roster addition deadline. All roster additions must be completed through the registration site. No player will be added once the roster addition deadline has passed (up until the last regular season game). A player must have played in at least one regular-season game to be eligible for the post-season playoff tournament.
Your role as captain is critical to maintaining the integrity and flow of the league. Please take these responsibilities seriously to ensure a positive Intramural Sports experience for all.
RULE II RULE DIFFERENCES
SEC. 1 Mercy Rule
If one team has a forty (40) point lead or more over their opponent at the four minute mark the game will be over. If one team has a thirty (30) point lead or more over their opponent at the three minute mark the game will be over. If one team has a twenty (20) point lead or more over their opponent at the two minute mark the game will be over. If any point during the last minute a team reaches a (15) point lead, the game will be over.
Team Jerseys:
All Intramural basketball teams are required to provide and wear the same color shirts or jerseys with permanent numbers for all players. No tape is allowed for numbers. Each player on the team shall wear a different number. Number must be on back and/or front of jersey and legible. The home team will wear white and the away team will wear dark. Gray and yellow are not permitted colors as these can be confusing. Having two jerseys with the same number will be assessed a technical per double number. NO JERSEY, NO PLAY.
SEC. 2 Team Roster
Rosters are limited to 12 individuals. Teams may add players up to the point that (1) the roster limit has been reached or (2) until the roster addition deadline has passed. A player must have played in at least one regular-season game to be eligible for the post-season playoff tournament. Roster additions can be conducted by the team captain on the registration site. Additions must be done by noon of game day or noon of Friday for a weekend game for those changes to be reflected on the game roster.
All players not listed on the roster are ineligible to participate. Players may only participate on one team within the same league (Open A and Open B are classified as the same league (Open)). The team captain/manager is responsible for monitoring the liability waiver/team roster.
SEC. 3 Overtime
If the second half ends in a tie, the game will go into overtime in playoffs only. The first overtime period will last two (2) minutes. The clock will only stop during the last minute of an overtime period. If the score is tied after the first overtime period, another overtime period will be played. Each subsequent overtime period will be one (1) minute in length.
SEC. 4 NFHS Rules
Anything uncovered in the following document will be governed by NFHS basketball rules. Rules changes are noted in the following document to best fit Intramural regulations.
RULE III PLAYING PROCEDURES
SEC. 1 Number of Players
Teams shall consist of five players. A team must have four players present to begin a legal game. Players may only participate on one team.
SEC. 2 ARC Membership
Currently enrolled SDSU Students, Faculty or Staff with an active ARC Membership are allowed to participate. Prior to players first game participation each season, players must sign an intramural waiver. The Team Captain is responsible for monitoring the completion of his/her team’s risk form.
ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST PRESENT A PICTURE I.D. BEFORE PARTICIPATING. NO EXCEPTIONS. NO I.D., NO PLAY!
Acceptable forms of identification include:
Red ID’s or government issued IDs such as a driver’s license or passport will be accepted.
Individuals attempting to check in with someone else’s ID is subject to suspension per Aztec Recreation Policy. Both the individual attempting to check in and the individual that lended the ID will be suspended from all Aztec Recreation facilities for a minimum of 2 weeks.
SEC. 3 ARC Rules
No food or drink is allowed in either gym at any time except water in a plastic bottle.
SEC. 4 Equipment
All players must wear court shoes during the course of play. No hard protective casts and/or jewelry (rings, watches, chain necklaces, friendship bracelets, caps, etc.) shall be worn. Teams are required to bring their own jerseys in the correct color for that game. Game Officials will provide the ball.
Team Jerseys
All Intramural basketball teams are required to provide and wear the same color shirts or jerseys with permanent numbers for all players. No tape is allowed for numbers. Each player on the team shall wear a different number. Number can be on back or front of jersey and legible. Which color (white or dark) jerseys teams need to wear will be denoted on the schedule (home vs. away).
SEC. 5 Persons Subject to the Rules
Team representatives, including players, substitutes, replaced players, coaches, trainers, spectators and other persons affiliated with the team are subject to the rules of the game and shall be governed by decisions of Officials assigned to the game.
SEC. 6 Game Time
Game time is forfeit time. Teams must be present and signed in by their scheduled game time. Failure to do so will result in a forfeit. If a team does not meet the minimum number of players required for a game, they will forfeit that contest. The score for that game will be recorded as 25 to 0 in favor of the winning team.
Each game shall consist of two twenty-minute running-clock halves, except for the last 2 minutes of the second half, which is regulation stop time. Exception: if either team is ahead by 15 or more points at any point during the final minute of the second half, the game will be over.
SEC. 7 Time Outs
Each team will be allowed two 30-second time-out for the duration of the game. These time-outs may be used at any time. The clock will stop for these time-outs. In overtime, each team will be allowed one time-out and time outs do not carryover from previous periods into overtime.
RULE IV GAME RULES
SEC. 1 Substitution
Substitutions follow NCAA guidelines. A substitute shall not enter the court without reporting to the scorer’s table, without his/her name appearing on the scoresheet or without being beckoned onto the court by an Official.
Penalty: Technical foul.
If in the judgment of the game Officials it is deemed that a team is abusing the substitution rule to gain an unfair advantage and drain the clock, game Officials may refuse repeated substitution during the final four minutes of each half, with the exception of the stopped time during the last minute of the second half.
SEC. 2 Jump Ball / Held Ball
At the start of each game a jump ball will be used to put the ball in play. When a held ball is initiated by either team, the ball will be awarded according to the alternating possession arrow.
SEC. 3 Free Throws
In free throw situations, all players occupying a lane space may enter the lane as soon as the ball is released. The shooter must wait until the ball hits the rim or the backboard before entering. All players not occupying a lane space must stand behind the free throw line extended and behind the three-point line, and they may not cross the three-point line until the ball hits the rim or the backboard.
The following are free-throw violations:
- Failure of the shooter to hit the rim of the basket.
- Player moving into or out of the free throw lane after the ball has been handed to the shooter by the referee.
- Opposing player verbally or physically disconcerting a free throw shooter.
- A faked attempt at a free throw.
SEC. 4 Bonus Free Throws
On the seventh team foul in the half, the opposing team is awarded the “bonus” or “one and one” situation on foul shots. On the tenth team foul in each half, the opposing team is awarded the “double bonus” situation on foul shots. This bonus situation will carry over into any over-time periods.
SEC. 5 Technical and Flagrant Fouls
Technical fouls shall be assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct, too many players on the court, extra time-outs (however, the time-out will be granted), etc. All technicals are two free throws and the ball out of bounds.
A player/coach/team representative receiving two technical fouls will be ejected from the gym. Technical fouls count as both a personal and a team foul.
Intentional or flagrant fouls are two free throws, as well as the ball out of bounds. Flagrant fouls will result in disqualification.
A player will be removed from the game upon receiving his/her fifth personal foul. Anyone ejected from the game will be required to leave the gym before the game is continued. Failure to do so will result in a loss by forfeiture to that player’s team. This does not include players who have fouled out of the game.
RULE V CO-REC RULES
SEC. 1 Participation Ratio
Teams shall consist of five players (3 males and 2 females or 3 females and 2 males). A team must have four players present to begin a legal game (2 males and 2 females).
Player Restrictions
Any male defender blocking the shot of a female shooter will result in 2 points or 3 points automatically, depending on where the shot was taken.
RULE VI MEN’S LEAGUE RULES
SEC. 1 Men’s A League
This is league is designed to be the more competitive league of the Men’s League offered. Please join this league if your team has more experience.
SEC. 2 Men’s B League
This league while still competitive in nature will serve as the general Men’s League for Basketball. If a team wins the Men’s B League, they will not be allowed to play in the B league again and will have to sign up for the Men’s A league being that their team should be competitive enough to play in the A league if they have won the B League. This rule holds for all members of the winning B League team during their time playing Intramurals at San Diego State.
RULE VII UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
SEC. 1 Sportsmanship Ratings
In order for a team to advance into the playoffs, it must receive an average sportsmanship rating of 3.5 or better during the regular season. During the playoffs a team must receive a sportsmanship rating of 3.5 or better EACH GAME to advance to the next round. Teams that fail to earn a 3.5 or better sportsmanship despite winning their game will result in that team automatically forfeiting their next round.
Sportsmanship ratings will be based on the following criteria and are given after each Intramural contest:
5 points: Team displays excellent sportsmanship while treating opponent with respect. Players demonstrate excellent sportsmanship at all times. Team respects Intramural Sports Officials and Supervisors and accepts their decisions without gesture or argument. Maintains an attitude of complete cooperation with staff. Players always display self-control.
4 points: Team displays good sportsmanship. Team plays hard but within the
rules. Team respects Intramural Sports Staff and generally accepts their decisions without gesture or argument. Mostly cooperative with game Officials and opponent. Team Captain able to control his/her players.
3 points: Team competes without incident; wins without boasting, loses without excuses, and does not display any poor conduct. Neither cooperative nor disruptive towards staff. Team Captain unable to control all players on his/her team.
2 points: Team has a player or coach who is ejected for abusive language or remarks. There is persistent questioning of game Officials’ judgment in the game and/or repeated arguing. Spectators, clearly related to the team, fail to cooperate with the Intramural Sports Staff.
1 point: Team has a representative (player or coach) who is ejected for fighting.
Players are so antagonistic that the game cannot be played with proper order and control. Representatives of the team display uncooperative nature to Intramural Sports Staff. Players disregard warnings of unnecessary roughness by game Officials.
SEC. 2 Player Ejection
Actions that are potentially dangerous to the participants of the game and/or conduct that is detrimental to the purpose of the program will not be tolerated.
No player(s) may physically intimidate or verbally abuse game officials. Violations of this nature will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and at the discretion of the Official may result in an ejection and removal from the contest. Any player ejected from a contest may not participate in his/her team’s next two games.
SEC. 3 Aggressive Acts
Acts of aggression or physical violence will not be tolerated. This includes throwing a punch, kicking an individual, or any other aggressive acts. Any player guilty of such an action immediately before, during, or after an Intramural contest shall be expelled from further participation in Intramural Sports for one calendar year (365 days).
SEC. 4 Leaving the Bench Area to Participate in an Altercation
A player, coach or bench personnel shall be ejected if he/she leaves the bench or coaching area to participate in an altercation. The penalty is an automatic two-game suspension.
In all cases, the Intramural Sports Handbook’s policies on “Fighting,” “Fighting with Intramural Sports / Campus Recreation Staff,” and “Team Disturbances” shall take precedence.
RULE VIII BLOOD RULE
Whenever a participant suffers a laceration or wound where bleeding occurs, the player must leave the game and take necessary action(s) to stop the bleeding and prevent it from occurring again before re-entering the game. If a participant’s uniform becomes stained with blood, it must be removed before re-entering. The participant may use another number without penalty.
A team may call a thirty-second time-out if it wishes to keep the player in the game, otherwise the player must be removed and he/she may not re-enter until the next dead-ball after the situation has been corrected. The Intramural Staff on duty shall have final approval on any situation relating to blood.
RULE IV INSURANCE
Participation in the Intramural Sports Program is completely voluntary. All participants run the risk of possible injury due to the inherent risks involved in the sport of basketball. Individuals are strongly encouraged to have a physical examination and purchase health and accident insurance prior to participation.
THE AZTEC RECREATION CENTER HAS NO INSURANCE FOR ITS PARTICIPANTS. INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATE AT THEIR OWN RISK.
In the case of an injury during a scheduled contest, participants should immediately notify a staff member, game official, or site supervisor.