UBALL RULES

(2024)

THE PLAYING FIELD

1. The size of the court is 50 feet by 60 feet for full-court regulation games.  The poles are 5 feet inside the endline of out of bounds.

EQUIPMENT 

1.  Games shall be played with a Size 6 Game Ball.  Game balls are provided by BYSC.

TEAMS 

1. A team consist of a minimum of (3) and a maximum of (6) players.  A team is permitted to substitute at any time during the game, but at no time may there be any more than 3 players on the court during game play.
2. A Substitute must report to half-court and request entrance to the game.
3. No substitute will be permitted to enter the game after a made basket by either team unless a time out is granted.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY 

All participating players must be a registered BYSC player on the participating team.

GAME PLAY

1. Games shall be started with a tip-off in the center of the court/field.
2. Players participating in the tipoff may not touch the ball before it reaches the apex of its toss.
3. Players may tip/hit the ball in any direction.
4. Players may line up anywhere they wish for the tipoff, except for directly behind the opposing team’s player who is tipping.
5. Treatment of jump balls:
   1. The ball must be tapped by one of the jumpers after it reaches its highest point. Neither player may tap the ball before it reaches its apex. If the ball falls to the ground untapped, the game official will execute another jump ball.
   2. Neither player involved in the jump ball can take possession of the ball until another player has touched it.

INBOUNDING

1. After a successful field goal, players shall bring the ball back in play by an inbounds play/throw in.
2. A legal throw in requires the player to have both feet behind the baseline or the imaginary line that is connected to the pole of the hoop and runs parallel to the backboard as depicted.
3. Players are allowed to take two steps, but the steps must be parallel to the baseline.
4. Those defending the throw in may not cross the baseline, whether it be stepping across or even reaching across.
5. In the event that the ball enters the rim from the bottom on an inbounds play, the ball is given to the defense for a check-in at half court.
6. Players shall have five seconds from the time from when they first establish two feet behind the baseline to when they release the ball.
   1. If they do not inbound in the ball in the five seconds, a five-second violation shall be called, and possession will be awarded to the defense via a check in.

LIVE BALL

1. The ball is alive after a tip-off, a check-in, or retrieval by a player on the opposing team of a made shot on their basket. After a made basket is retrieved by the opposing team’s player, the player will be given sufficient space by the other team to make a first pass to a teammate.
2. After any dead ball, play shall resume with a jump ball or a check-in.
3. On any rule’s infraction, possession will be granted to the opposing team via a check-in.

EXCEPTIONS:1- Clear path foul: Point awarded

REGULATION GAMES

1. Regulation play shall be two 20-minute halves.
2. Teams shall change baskets at half time.

TIMEOUTS

1. Teams are allowed two timeouts per game.
2. Timeouts will last 60 seconds.
3. to call a timeout, the team must have possession of the ball.
4. Timeouts can be called by verbally calling “Timeout” or by making the timeout symbol with hands.
5. Both players and coaches are permitted to call timeout.
6. After a timeout, teams shall have the opportunity to insert a substitute player.
7. Timeouts may be called at any point to readjust the hoop.
   1. There are unlimited timeouts for hoop adjustments.
   2. Timeouts for hoop adjustments shall be no more than 10 seconds.

SCORING

1. A field goal shall be counted as successful if it passes through the circle of the rim and through the net. If the ball does not pass through the net, there is no score.
2. A successful field goal can be accomplished by either a shot, layup, or dunk.
3. For safety purposes, as well as for the functionality of the Uball set,
   players are not allowed to hang on the rim, especially after dunks. If a player hangs on the rim after a dunk, the basket will be disallowed, and possession will be awarded to the opposing team.
4. Players may not use the rim, pole, or backboard to raise themselves while
   scoring. These actions will result in a turnover.
5. Each successful field goal counts as 1 point.
6. Field goals may be shot from anywhere, including behind the basket.

GAMEPLAY

1. Players may take two steps, then must either pass or shoot.
2. Dribbling does NOT permit a player to take more steps.
3. If a player takes more than 2 steps, a travel is called and results in a turnover.
4. If a player passes or shoots the ball and it does not hit the rim, backboard, or another player, then that player is not allowed to be the first person to touch the ball. If that player is the first to touch the ball, it is a turnover.
5. A player is permitted to throw the ball at the backboard and retouch the ball without it first being touched by an opposing player. For example, a player can throw the ball off of the backboard like an alley-oop shot, re-catch it and complete a slam dunk.
6. In order to benefit the flow of the game, zone defense is prohibited. Players must play man-to-man defense at all times.
7. A held ball shall be called when players on both teams have a firm grasp of the ball, and there is a risk of injury.
8. When a held ball is called, the two players involved will have a jump ball in the same spot where the call was made.
9. Players may set screens on defenders under the following conditions:
   1. The screener is motionless at the point of impact; and
   2. The screen is set in a non-threatening manner to the defender.
   3. If the screener’s feet are not set or are in any way moving at the point of impact, a moving pick will be called and will result in a turnover.
10. If a player should drop or fumble the ball, it is not a turnover, but rather becomes a loose ball.
11. Players may be physical when the ball is loose. Slight pushing or hip checks are permitted but any excessive or flagrant contact will result in a personal foul and possession for the team that was fouled.
12. Players may use their feet to push the ball forward or pass to a teammate.
    1. Any excessive kicking that is done with the intent to kick someone rather than the ball will result in the opposing team receiving possession.
13. There are no backcourt violations. The ball can travel from both ends of the playing court/field at any time without any restrictions.
14. Players are permitted to play behind the basket, including for purposes of shooting rebounding, passing, or defending.
15. Players are prohibited from grabbing the pole while in play.

EXCEPTION: Players may touch the pole when the hoop needs to be readjusted.

GOALTENDING

1. Players may not block or contact a shot if it is in its downward ascent towards the rim.
2. Players may not reach through the bottom of the rim to block any shots.
3. Players may not block a shot that has contacted the backboard and is proceeding towards the hoop, regardless of whether the ball is in the process of ascending or descending.
4. Players may not hit the rim or backboard while a shot is proceeding towards the rim causing the rim to vibrate, which may otherwise cause an unnatural bounce.
5. Players are allowed to block a shot against the backboard if the hand of the defender makes contact with the ball either before or as the ball contacts the backboard.
6. Once the ball strikes the rim, any player can play the ball (i.e. swat it away or tap it in), even if the ball is within the cylinder of the hoop.

FOULS

1. To aid the flow of the game, only blatant shooting fouls and technical/flagrant fouls shall be called.
2. When a foul is called, the team fouled shall restart with the ball at half court for a check-up.
3. When a player has a clear path to the basket, and the defender fouls simply to stop the offensive player from scoring, a point is counted.
4. Excessive swinging of elbows is not allowed, even if no contact is made with a defender.
   a. Excessive swinging of elbows will result in a technical foul and a turnover.
5. Each player is entitled to their own space; therefore, defenders cannot excessively invade the offensive player’s personal space. Similarly, the offensive player cannot excessively invade the defense’s space.
6. A double foul shall result in offsetting fouls and no loss of possession by the offensive team.
7. A flagrant foul shall result in a loss of possession and ejection from the game for the violating player. The team that loses its player shall have the option to forfeit the game or to continue playing with one less player.

TECHNICAL FOULS

1. The penalty for a technical foul is a loss of possession.
2. Actions that can give rise to a technical foul:
   1. Excessive timeouts
   2. Delay of game caused by:
   3. 1- interfering with the ball after a successful field goal
   4. 2- preventing the ball from promptly being put into play
   5. 3- any bench player or coach intentionally interfering with game play
   6. Hanging on the rim, the net or backboard

A player committing one unsportsmanlike foul will be disqualified from the game by the referees. Independent thereof, the organizer will disqualify the player(s) concerned from the event for acts of violence, verbal or physical aggression, tortuous interference in game results.

Player will be asked to leave the facility or location.  If they decide not to leave the team will receive an automatic forfeit.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Points will be awarded to teams as follows:
   1. Win = 1, and a Loss = 0, Tie = 0.5
2. Team standings will determined by the team with the highest number of points.
3. Tie breakers will be:
   1. Head-to-Head
   2. Least Number of Points Against (PSA)
   3. Most Number of Points For (PSF)