Description:
The 3-4 Basketball Division has a goal of providing a fun and rewarding recreational experience where players can create a bond with the game, develop basketball skills and learn what it takes to be successful away from the court.

Court Size and Equipment:
The court is 40’x24’ with hoop heights of 5 ft. The ball size will be a 27.5” ball.

Players:
There are five position players allowed on the court at one time.

Player Participation:
Each player in attendance must play in the game. Players must rotate throughout all positions during the season.  Substitutions are allowed on a dead ball.

Length of Game:
There are two, 12-minute halves with a running clock. The clock does not stop unless a team calls a time-out or a referee stops the clock. Half time is 2 minutes long. Teams have up to one 1-minute time out per half. Unused timeouts do not carry over. There are no overtime periods.

Player Equipment:
The team’s appointed jersey and non-marking shoes are mandatory. Water in a water bottle is recommended.

Jewelry and metal/plastic hair clips are not allowed.

Headgear is not permitted unless for religious or medical reasons (with a doctor’s written release and CCS staff approval.)  In the event that head covering is required, the covering or wrap must not be abrasive and unlikely to come off during play.

Players are not allowed to participate with a guard, cast or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable (soft) plastic, metal or any other hard surface, even though padded, on the finger(s), hand, wrist, forearm or elbow. Supports are permitted on other parts of the body as long as they are soft and yielding (like a thigh sleeve) or covered – all metal frames on any braces shall be padded.

Artificial limbs are permitted when, in the judgment of the CCS staff, they are no more dangerous than the corresponding human limb or adequately padded. Any equipment, which in the judgment of the CCS staff, increases a player's advantage, is prohibited.

Timers and Referees:

      1.   Timers:  The home team is required to provide a time keeper to keep the official game time.
      2.   Referees:  Coaches will serve as referees for this division. The home team will referee the first half of the game and the visiting team will referee the   
            second half of the game.

Start of Play:
A team must start if they have at least 4 players in attendance. If a team does not have the necessary players to start a game then both coaches should discuss the situation and a scrimmage game may be played until 4 players arrive. Once 4 players are in attendance the game will start with the remaining time left on the game clock. A jump ball in the center of the court starts the game. The second half begins with a throw in from the end line of backcourt, according to the possession arrow. Time starts as soon as any player touches the ball. Teams will change baskets at the half.

Substitutions:
Substitutions can be made only during a dead ball.  

Alternating Possession:
After the initial jump-ball, possession will alternate on each tie-up and change of halves.

Scoring:
Scores are not kept for this division. There are no free throws.

Ball out of Play:
The ball is out of play when:

1. It touches the ground out of bounds. The inside edges of these lines define the inbounds and out-of-bounds areas.
2. The ball is caught by a player who is touching the floor out of bounds.
3. The ball touches the back part of the backboard or stand.

Dead Ball:
The ball becomes dead when an official’s whistle is blown.

Defense:
Zone defense is not allowed. A zone defense is when a player defends an area of the court rather than a player. Teams must play man to man defense. Man to man defense for this division will mean a defensive player must stay with the player they are guarding. The purpose of the “no zone rule” is to teach players a man-to-man defense.

Double Teaming:
Double-teaming a player is not allowed. However, defensive players may assist if an offensive player with the ball is driving for the basket. A player “driving for the basket” is defined from when they enter the key. Upon entering the key, the defending team may block him or her with as many players as they would like without fear of being called for doubleteaming.

Backcourt Defense:
Backcourt defense is not allowed. Defenders must move down the court as fast as possible.

Dribble:
Dribbling with both hands will be allowed, but the coach will remind the player to utilize one hand. If two-hand use continues, the ball will be awarded to the opposite team. Traveling will not be called.

Stealing:
Players are not allowed to steal the ball when an opponent is dribbling unless in their own key. The ball can only be stolen on a pass.

Inbounding the Basketball:
When inbounding the basketball, the player’s feet must be behind the line. The player will have three opportunities to inbound the basketball before the ball is awarded to the other team.

Kicking the Ball:
This is called when the ball touches any player’s leg (below the ankle.) The opposing team is awarded the ball.

Personal Fouls
The referee will call fouls loosely to protect the safety of the players. There are NO FREE THROWS in this division – fouls will result in the ball taken out of bounds. The following is a break-down of some of the most common fouls:

1. Blocking - Physically impeding the progress of another player who is still moving.
2. Charging - When an offensive player runs into a defender who has established position.
3. Elbowing - Throwing your elbows during play in order to hit another player or push him away; it's a basketball foul if contact is made.
4. Hand-Checking - Using the hands to check the progress of an offensive player when that player is in front of the defender who is using the hands.
5. Holding - Restricting the movement of an opponent.
6. Illegal Blocking - Illegal contact which impedes the progress of an opponent.
7. Illegal Screen - A form of blocking in which the player setting the screen is still moving when the defender makes contact.
8. Over-the-Back - Infringing on the vertical plane of, and making contact with, a player who is in position and attempting to rebound.
9. Pushing - Impeding the progress or otherwise moving a player by pushing or shoving.
10. Reaching In - Extending an arm and making contact with a ball handler in an attempt to steal the ball.
11. Tripping - Extending a leg or foot and causing an opponent to lose balance or fall.

A player with 5 personal fouls is disqualified from the game. In the event of a foul, the offender is charged with the foul and the ball is awarded to the opposing team out of bounds for a throw in at the position closest to the foul.