OFFICIAL RULES
All basketball games (league, tournament or practice) hosted by Oakland Diocese Catholic Youth Organization teams will be conducted in accordance with the National Federation of State High School Associations Basketball Rulebook (available through the Diocesan CYO Office) with exceptions and additions noted in these bylaws, adopted by the Diocesan CYO Office, or adopted by the leagues and approved by the Diocesan Boys Sports Council or Girls Sports Council.
LENGTH OF GAME / TIME OUTS
A CYO basketball game shall consist of four quarters. All games shall have one minute rest periods between quarters. All games shall have a minimum five minute rest period between halves. Quarters shall consist of no more than eight minutes stop time or ten minutes running time. Four time outs of one minute duration maybe charged to each team during a regulation game. Each team is credited with one additional time out per overtime period.
GAME LIMITATIONS
No CYO player should play more than one basketball game per day. No CYO team may participate in more than one basketball game per day. All games/ practices, including tournament games played on school nights, shall be scheduled so as to be completed by 10:00 p.m. No league shall schedule regular league play on Sundays before noon.
GAME BALL
A regulation basketball made of composition or leather material shall be used in all sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys league games. In all girls league games and in boys third, fourth and fifth grade games, a composition or leather ball, 28-1/2" in circumference, shall be used. Leagues may adopt the use of smaller balls for third, fourth and fifth grade play.
"ALL PLAY" PARTICIPATION RULE
Each Oakland Diocese CYO basketball team must play all healthy, uniformed players according to the following formula. The participation rule applies to the first half of play, during the first and second quarters. The first quarter and the second quarter will each be divided in half for a total of four playing periods. The time for each playing period will be on the clock. All healthy, uniformed players (up to a number of twenty) must play the minimum of a full continuous playing period during the first half. Every player entering the game for the first time must enter at the beginning of the playing period and play the full playing period. The only exceptions will be due to injury or disqualification.
The end of a playing period will be administered as an official's time out. The team in possession of the ball shall retain it at the beginning of the subsequent playing period with a throw-in at the spot on the sideline nearest the point of last possession. There shall be a center court jump ball to begin the game. The alternating possession procedure shall be used to begin the second quarter and at the beginning of a playing period if no team had possession at the end of the previous period.
Any player arriving to a game after the beginning of the last playing period must play continuous time during the game equal to a playing period, if sufficient time remains. If a team has over twenty players, the third quarter shall be divided into playing periods.
In addition, in each game, each child shall play the minimum time equal to the time of one quarter. Athletic Directors shall monitor their program's coaches for compliance. Repeated violation shall be a breach of sportsmanship.
Injury or Disqualification
If a player leaves a playing period due to injury and is able later to reenter, the player must play a subsequent full playing period. If unable to reenter until the second half, the player must play the equivalent of a full, continuous playing period on the clock. A substitute for an injured or disqualified player must play a complete playing period.
"NO PRESS " RULE
A team with a lead of fifteen (15) points or more in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade or ten (10) points or more in the 4th, or 5th grade, may not use a full court press. There is no press beyond the half court line in the 3rd grade. Definition of Press: None of the players of a team which is holding that lead may guard any opposing player in the backcourt until the ball, or a player in control of the ball, has passed the half-court line of the opposing team.
PENALTY
One warning per game, then a technical foul will be called on the offending team for each violation. (Note: The technical foul is a team technical) CYO sportsmanship dictates that coaches should not have their teams pressure an opposing team's players in the half-court area with a large lead.
OVERTIME RULE
Overtime periods shall be three minutes in length. Oakland Diocesan CYO leagues shall play overtime periods either as in the National Federation Basketball Rulebook or the Diocesan Overtime Rule.
Oakland Diocesan Overtime Rule
In the event of a tie score at the end of a regulation game, there will be a maximum of two 3 minute overtime periods. If the score is tied at the completion of the second overtime period, a one minute rest period shall be taken, followed by a "sudden death" period played under the following rules:
1. If either team leads by two points (either by two free throws or a field goal) at any time during this period, that team shall immediately be declared winner.
2. If after three minutes of the sudden death period neither team has accomplished a two point lead, the team leading by one point shall be declared the winner.
3. If the score is tied at this point, a one-minute rest period shall be taken and then a three minute, sudden death period will be played. The first team to score (either by a free throw or a field goal) shall immediately be declared the winner.
THREE POINT SHOT / SHOT CLOCK
The three point shot may be adopted by individual leagues for play in the seventh and eighth grades only. The shot clock shall not be used.
CODE OF CONDUCT
All persons associated with CYO - players, coaches, coordinators, spectators and officials - are expected to conduct themselves in a positive manner which exemplifies the Christian values that should be fostered in our young people. These values include a mutual respect for and consideration of other people.
The coach and coordinator are responsible for the behavior of any individual on their roster, as well as for the atmosphere created by parents and spectators. An official may eject from a contest or playing area any participant, coach, coordinator, parent or spectator who displays unsportsmanlike conduct during a contest or event. The ejected individual(s) must leave the playing area immediately and may not return.
Note: The playing area shall be defined as any location in sight or sound of the contest. If an unusual location gives rise to any ambiguity, the official's interpretation shall prevail.
The Disciplinary Committee will thoroughly review all complaints of inappropriate behavior on the part of players, coaches, spectators or officials.
Note: If it is determined that the behavior in question was abusive or excessive in any manner, those involved may be subject to immediate suspension and/or expulsion from the remainder of that program for that year, or longer.
TIE BREAKER RULES FOR PLAYOFF CONSIDERATION
The following is our rule to determine the teams seed in playoffs if the teams have the same record.
First criteria is head to head. If the teams split then;
Second - how they did against the 1st place team, if they did the same, then
Third - how they did against the 2nd place team, if they did the same, then
Fourth - how they did against the 3rd place team and continue to follow this pattern. The last criteria is if they end up with the identical records on the above criteria, then we flip a coin to determine their place of finish. The only exception is for the first place finish when it relates to an automatic birth to the diocese. We then have a playoff game.
If a team is not eligible for the diocese, as they do not field an American team, then they are not eligible for our playoffs. If a team only has a national team and ties for first in the league, we will give trophies to both teams as co-champions.(No playoff game to determine the winner) .
