SportsPlex West
Basketball League
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BOYS (by grade): 1st, 2nd, 3 , 4th, 5th, 6
GIRLS (by grade): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th
(Unless otherwise noted, all rules apply to each age division.)
1. WE WILL USE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL RULES USED UNLESS NOTED BELOW. All teams
MUST be registered with USSSA at www.usssa.com . This is a USSSA sanctioned league.
Grades 3 (DI ONLY) and grades 4 and up will play full court high school rules with the
noted below.
2. COACHES MEETING: Will be announced and date will be emailed to coaches the week
prior to the start of the session.
3. Registration: For a team to be considered registered, registration and payment must be done
online by the deadline date posted on the registration page! Please note you can register
without a finalized roster. Final roster is due prior to your first game.
Entry Fee:.
Boys Team: $605 early bird and $635 regular (fee is based on a 10 game regular season
schedule and season-ending tourney)
*Girls Team: $605 early bird and $635 regular (fee is based on a 10 game regular season
schedule and season-ending
tourney). End of season tournament will charge admission for fans. $3 for ages 8 and up per
day.
4. Individual Registrations: Individual Entry Fee: $95. Players who sign up without a team will
be placed on a team with other players registering without a team, provided enough players
register to comprise a team. Each team will need 1-2 parents to step forward and assume the
coaching responsibilities during the year and practices. Also, practice time will not be provided by
SportsPlex West. Each team will be responsible for securing gym time on their own. You can
contact SportsPlex West (987-0806), Waukee School District (987-2761) or West Des Moines
School District (633-5014) about gym time.
5. Jerseys/Uniforms: Each team is required to have matching tops with numbers on each top
both front and back. Jerseys and or T-Shirts order forms are available at the following website:
http://www.sportsplexwest.com/index.cfm?page=336 Uniform ORDERS ARE DUE BY October
1st. Free agent players will be provided uniform tops.
6. Size of Basketball: 1st Grade Boys and 1st Grade Girls: 27.5 size basketball; all other divisions:
28.5 size basketball.
7. Rosters: Rosters will be limited to 10 players.
8. Divisions: Boys: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6 .
Girls: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6 . (We reserve the right to combine grades/divisions to ensure a full
division can be fielded). Each grade will have 3 divisions. DI – The highest level of play. These
teams are elite “travel” teams that compete in tournaments on the weekends (at grade 3 this
division plays full court). DII- These teams are competitive teams. Generally consist of local very
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athletic players many of which attend the same school(s)( 3 grade is full court 9 ft rims). DIIIThis team consists of early developmental or beginning stages of play for the age group in a
competitive setting. (full court 10ft. rims)
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9. Season Length: There are two separate sessions of the league. Session 1 generally ending
prior to Christmas Break and session 2 ending prior to Spring Break. We will conclude each
session with a season ending tournament. The tournament may be modified to single seeded
games based on league size and gym availability.
10. Games Times: Games will be played on all days of the week. Please refer to your
registration page for any additional information. Please indicate your BLACK OUT DATES
under comments section of your registration. Games during the week will start at 5pm.
Games on Saturday and Sunday will begin at 8am and run approximately every 50 minutes. We
will begin with youngest age divisions and progress to older age divisions as the day goes on.
Please be aware that games will start as late as 8 or 9 pm on Saturday. Games on Sunday will
begin at 8am and run until 7 or 8pm, if the league is very full, games will start early on Sunday
mornings as well.
11. Scorekeepers: Each team will be required to provide an adult scorekeeper each game.
Please have this person report immediately to the scorer’s table prior to the start of your game.
The scorekeeper should have an understanding of tracking personal and team fouls, timeouts
and tracking running score on the score sheet. When possible, a scorekeeper will be provided by
league personnel. Score sheets are available at the front desk and must be returned at the
conclusion of the game.
12. Eligibility: A player may play up to a higher grade division. A player may not play down to a
to a lower grade division. A player may only play on one team per division. All coaches will be
required to submit a final online USSSA roster prior to their first game. Refer to USSSA age
requirements found at www.iowausssabasketball.com under rules.
13. Schedule Requests: If you know of dates you cannot play due to school conflicts, please
indicate these on the registration form. We will TRY to accommodate all requests. Please note we
are limited on gym time and expect full divisions. Making up games once the schedule is set is
very difficult. Please provide no more then 2 dates and/or times at time of registration in which
you cannot play. If you provide more then 2, we will accommodate each team’s first 2 requested
dates before honoring additional requests. If you notify us after the fact, we cannot guarantee
your game will be made up at a later date/time. If this is the case, the result will be a forfeit loss.
Refer to Registration page for game day suggestions.
14. Clock-Warm up, Halftime and Overtime: Please arrive at your games no earlier than 10
minutes before your game time. All leagues will play two 17 minute halves with a running clock.
Teams will be allowed a minimum of 3 minutes of warm up time prior to the start of the game.
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Clock will be stop for each dead ball situation only with 1 minute left in 2 half. Halftime will last 3
minutes in length. League officials reserve the right to cut warm up and halftime down to as little
as 1 minute if the schedule is running behind. Boys/ Girls games will start with the home team
receiving the ball and using the alternate possession rule. Five players per team are chosen by
their coach for a free throw shoot-out for all overtimes. Teams will alternate free throw shots the
teams scoring the best out of 5 shots will be determined the winner.
15. 3–Point Field Goals: 3rd grade DI, 4th , 5th and 6th grade will use the 3-point line.
16. Rim Height: 1st and 2nd Grade: 8-foot rims (play cross court)
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3rd Grade DIII Rec 9ft rims (play cross court)- 3 Grade DII 9ft rims (Play full court)
3rd Grade DI, 4th – 6th Grade 10-foot rims (full court)
17. Time-outs and Substitutions: Each team will receive two 30 second timeouts per half. No
carry over. ONLY Coaches or players can call a timeout and must tell the referees, NOT the
scorekeepers. PLEASE SEND YOUR PLAYERS TO THE SCORER’S TABLE FOR CHECK-IN.
18. Over and Back: All Cross Court games: No over and back. All other divisions (full court) will
use the over and back rule.
19. Season-Ending Awards: Medals will be provided to the team winning each division as well
as to the team winning the tournament at the end of the season. Standings will be based on
USSSA National guidelines.
20. Free Throws:
a. 1 free throw will be awarded on all shooting fouls. A made free throw will be worth 2
points on a missed field goal and 1 point on a made field goal.
b. Teams will be in the one-and-one after 7 team fouls and in the double bonus if 10 team
fouls have been committed during a half. 1-AND-1 AND DOUBLE BONUS FT
SITUATIONS WILL BE SHOT ACCORDING TO NORMAL IOWA HIGH
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c. Line violations will be enforced for 3 Grade DII and DIII and 4 grade and up. All other ages
will be lenient in that regard as long as the shooter does not gain a rebound advantage.
SCHOOL RULES. Shooting fouls after the 7th and 10th team fouls will still be 1 shot for
2 points.
c. Free throw line shall be set as follows:
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1st-2nd Grade 3 DII and DIII Approx. 12’ (yellow line)
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3 Grade DI, 4th, 5th, 6th Grade division: Normal FT line.
21. Defense: No full court pressing allowed in boys 1 st, 2nd, 3rd grade DII and DIII. The remaining
divisions may utilize any defense. However, no full court pressing will be allowed if the lead is
greater then 20 points. All other divisions are required to use half court man-to-man defense. All
coaches are encouraged to understand man to man principles and teach these principles to their
players. Switching and sagging off the ball or into help side position defense are not strictly
features of zone defenses. A team considered to be playing a zone defense will receive a
warning. Each subsequent violation
of this will result in a 2-shot technical.
Half Court Defensive Rules
Retreating to Half Court after a Defensive Rebound (Boys 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade DII and DIII ;
All girls divisions)
i. Once the defensive team gains possession* of a rebound, the new defensive team must
immediately retreat behind the half court line. If the defensive player gaining possession of
the basketball loses control after possessing the basketball in the back court, possession will
remain with the rebounding team (unless it goes out of bounds) and the new defensive team
will be required to retreat to half court. If the ball crosses half court with no possession, the
ball is live and either team may secure possession.
ii. If the defensive team has not gained possession* of the basketball, the team that shot
ball does not need to retreat to half court.
*The bottom line is possession and is up to the discretion of the referee.
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Double Teams (Boys 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade DII and DIII; All girls divisions). No double teams
are allowed. A defensive player in helpside position may rotate to help a teammate who has been
beaten, but once the player recovers, the defensive player who provided the help must return
to his/her man or the players may switch defenders.
ii. A team considered to be double-teaming will receive a warning. Each subsequent violation
of this will result in a 2-shot technical.
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No Stealing or Stripping the Ball Outside the Lane (Boys 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade DII and DIII; 1
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- 3 girls divisions)
i. A defensive player may not steal or strip the ball from his/her opponent unless the offensive
player has ONE FOOT in the lane. If the offensive player loses control of the ball outside the
lane, it is a free ball and either team may gain possession. However, the defensive team may
not knock the ball away from the offensive player if the player is outside the lane. Passes may
be intercepted anywhere in the front court.
ii. Please note that because we allow stealing in the lane it does not mean we allow double
teams. If a player is in the lane with the ball he/she cannot be converged upon resulting in a
double team. Multiple players reaching can be considered a double team. This will be left to
the discretion of the referee.
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Intercepting a Pass (Boys 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade DII and DIII; 1 - 3 girls divisions)
i. A pass may be intercepted anywhere in the front court.
ii. A pass may be intercepted if the pass is made from the back court to the front court. A
defensive player may land in the backcourt after intercepting the pass, but must start with both
feet down in the front court.
22. Sportsmanship Rule: Under no circumstances will clear outs or isolations be allowed. A
team deemed to be using clear outs, isolations or any other offensive set(s) which appears to
resemble this will be assessed a 2-shot technical and lose possession of the basketball. This will
solely be up to the discretion of the referee. This rule applies to 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade boys DII and
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DIII divisions as well as 1 -3 girls divisions.
23. Waiver: Any player who participates in any activity at SportsPlex West is required to have a
waiver on file completed by a parent or guardian. Please be sure that this has been completed
prior to the first game. NO WAIVER = NO PLAY!!!
24. Bench Conduct: Only players and 2 coaches per team will be allowed to sit on the bench
during games. Referees have the authority to stop the game and ensure 2 coaches stay on the
bench during the game. Failure to abide by the referee’s request will result in a 2 shot technical
foul. Due to confined areas, we will allow coaches to stand. Please do not block the scorer’s table.
25. Fan Behavior: All parents are expected to conduct themselves in a positive manner.
Referees are not required to address concerns or questions from spectators. Officials may
assess a technical on the COACH for inappropriate fan behavior. It is the coaches responsibility
to address any poor fan behavior. Parents should take concerns to the coaches or contact
league officials. An unruly fan will be asked to remain quiet for the rest of the game. If he/she
does not do so they will asked to leave the gym. The game will be held up until the individual
leaves the facility. A fan refusing to leave will result in his/her team forfeiting the game regardless
of the game situation at that point. Fans will not be allowed to become abusive before, during or
after the game with referees, league officials, opposing fans/coaches or individuals working at
SportsPlex West. Failure to abide by this rule will result in the fan being removed from the gym.
26. Inclement Weather: In the event of inclement weather, we will post cancellation information
on our website – www.sportsplexwest.com - as early as possible the day of the games. Also
because of limited gym time there is no guarantee a game missed due to weather will be made
up a later date. Every effort will be made to do so and teams will be asked to be flexible in
rescheduling.
27. Code of Conduct: All officials, coaches, players and parents may be required to sign a code
of conduct prior to playing the first game or at any time during the season.
28. Technical Fouls: The first technical foul called on a coach during a game will result in two
free followed by possession of the ball by the opposing team. A second technical by either the
same coach or assistant coach will result in the ejection of the head coach from the game and the
opposing team will again shoot two free throws and receive possession of the ball. A third
technical foul by the same coach in a subsequent game will result in the coach being ejected
immediately and will not be allowed to coach the remainder of the season. Sportsplex reserves
the right to remove a coach from the league and potentially the entire team as the discretion of
Sportsplex managers without cause.
29. Contact Info: Contact Pat Yacinich at 987-0806 or by email at
[email protected] for all basketball-related items at SportsPlex West, including
leagues, tournaments, camps, clinics, teams and individual and small group skill development
training. For scheduling questions – Pam [email protected]
For referee questions – Jeff Johnson