Rules/Policies - 902 Hoops League

902 Hoops League: Official Rules and Regulations

Registration, Rosters, and Refunds

Online Registration Process: All registration is conducted online. A player or team is not officially registered until payment has been completed and the required registration form, which is sent post-payment, has been fully filled out and submitted.
Waivers and Age Requirements: All players must sign the official 902 Hoops League liability waiver prior to participating in any games, scrimmages, or league activities. Players under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the waiver on their behalf. Players who do not have a completed waiver on file are ineligible to step on the court.
Individual Registrations: If a player registers as an individual (even if they request to be placed with specific players), the league reserves the right to fill that team’s roster up to a maximum of 10 players.
Team Registrations: To cap a roster at a specific number (e.g., 8 players) and prevent the league from adding free agents, the group must register as a complete Team.
Cross-Rostering: Players are strictly prohibited from playing for multiple teams within the same division.
Uniforms: All players must be in full uniform, defined strictly as matching league-issued jerseys and shorts, to be eligible to play. Players without a complete and matching uniform will not be permitted on the court.
Refund Policy: If you pay for a spot and are unable to play, you must submit notice in writing to info@902hoops.ca.
- Prior to Production: If you contact us before uniforms have been ordered or team configurations have started, you will receive a complete refund.
- After Production: If you contact us after uniforms and/or team configurations have started, you have two options: receive a full credit for a future season, or receive a 75% refund of your purchase.

Gameplay Rules (FIBA Modified)

Base Rules: Standard FIBA rules apply to all games, with the specific league exceptions listed below.
Game Length: Games consist of four 10-minute quarters.
Foul Limit: Players are allowed 6 personal fouls before fouling out.
Game Clock (Quarters 1-3): The first three quarters are played with a running clock. The clock will only stop for injuries, official timeouts, and the last 5 seconds of the quarter if a player is shooting free throws.
Game Clock (Quarter 4): The fourth quarter is played with full stop-time rules. However, if a team has a lead of 20 points or more, the clock will revert to run-time.
Timeouts: Each team is awarded one timeout in the first half and two timeouts in the second half. Timeouts do not carry over into overtime.
Overtime: Overtime periods are 2 minutes long. All team fouls and personal fouls carry over from the fourth quarter or previous overtime period. Each team is awarded exactly one timeout per overtime period.
Game Tie-Breakers: There are no tie-breakers (e.g., free throw shootouts) for individual games. Teams will continue to play 2-minute overtime periods until a winner is decided.

Game Management and Delays

Warm-ups: Teams are guaranteed a minimum of 5 minutes to warm up before tip-off.
Minimum Player Requirement: A team requires a minimum of 5 players to legally start a game.
- 4-Player Exception: If a team only has 4 players present, the opposing team obtains the right to either play the game 4-on-4 or enforce an automatic forfeit.
Grace Period: If a team does not have enough players to start the game at the scheduled tip-off time, a 15-minute grace period begins.
0-10 Minute Delay: If the required players arrive within the first 10 minutes of the grace period, the game is played under standard rules.
10-15 Minute Delay: If the game starts between 10 and 15 minutes past the scheduled tip-off, the entire game will be played with a running clock.
15+ Minute Delay: If a team still does not have enough players after 15 minutes, the game is officially recorded as a forfeit.

Forfeits and Cancellations

The Double Forfeit Penalty: If a team forfeits a game due to a lack of players, they lose both that current game and their next scheduled game.
Opponent Compensation: Because players pay to play, the non-forfeiting team will be awarded the forfeiting team’s next scheduled game. This means the non-forfeiting team gets to step into that time slot and play against the scheduled opponent.
Open Gym: If an official game cannot be played due to a forfeit, the present players are welcome to use the gym time for a practice or scrimmage. Referees will not officiate these unofficial scrimmages.

Standings and Playoff Eligibility

Regular Season Standings Tie-Breakers: If two or more teams finish the regular season with an identical win-loss record, the final standings will be determined by the following sequential tie-breakers:
1. Head-to-head record between the tied teams.
2. Overall point differential (total points scored minus total points allowed).
3. Total points allowed throughout the season.
Game Requirement: To be eligible for the playoffs, a player must either have played in a minimum of 3 regular-season games OR have been officially listed on the team roster since the beginning of the season.
Opponent Waiver: If a team is short-handed for a playoff game and wishes to use a player who does not meet the eligibility requirements, the opposing team holds the sole right to allow or deny that player’s participation.

Code of Conduct and Penalties

Zero Tolerance Policy: 902 Hoops operates with a strict zero-tolerance policy for violence, verbal or physical abuse, and the use or possession of drugs or alcohol on the premises. Violation of these common-sense rules will result in immediate removal from the league.
Technical Fouls: If a player receives two technical fouls in a single game, they are immediately ejected.
Ejection Protocol: An ejected player has exactly 5 minutes to leave the gymnasium. Failure to leave the gym within 5 minutes will result in an immediate forfeit for their team.
Suspensions: Any ejection carries an automatic 1-game suspension. This suspension must be served during the player’s next scheduled game in the league, regardless of which team they are scheduled to play for at that time.

Official Communication & Dispute Resolution

Primary Contact: The official method of communication for the 902 Hoops League is email via info@902hoops.ca. The league cannot guarantee a timely response if you attempt to reach out through other channels, such as social media messaging.
Handling Grievances: If a player or team has a concern regarding referees, scorekeepers, opposing players, or gym staff, it must NOT be addressed in the gym. The court is an environment with elevated emotions, and on-site confrontations will not be tolerated.
Formal Complaints: All concerns and complaints must be submitted in writing to info@902hoops.ca. League management will investigate and handle all written complaints diligently and professionally.