Basketball Rules
1. All players on the game roster MUST PLAY by games end. If a player did not play by the end of the game, the team who violates this rule will receive a technical.
**Each school shall submit an official roster to the league prior to the first season game. NOTE: The game roster will differ from the official roster due to students’ eligibility.
2. Game order will be as follows; JV girls, JV boys, Varsity girls, Varsity boys.
3. Playing time shall be—five-minute pre-game warm up and three-minute halftime intermission.
a. Four eight-minute quarters.
b. Running clock for the entire game.
a. Exception: clock will stop on every free throw attempt.
b. Exception: clock will be stopped on every whistle in the last 60 seconds of the 2nd and 4th quarter.
c. Exception: clock will be stopped on every whistle during any overtime periods.
c. The clock will stop on every timeout, official’s time, and player injury.
d. Three-minute overtime period(s).
4. One-minute timeouts: 2 per half (NO carry over). One timeout per overtime period(s) (NO carry over).
5. A team or player shall not apply any defensive tactic(s) in the area of their frontcourt after a successful field goal or free throws. A missed basket is considered to be a live ball and the game shall continue
6. Free throw line:
a. JV Season: 14 feet—a player must attempt the free throw behind the free throw line and then be allowed to step over the free throw line after the release.
b. Varsity season: regulation distance 15 feet.
7. Coaching box decorum will be in effect for all games. Refer to the coaches and bench personnel conduct policy.
8. Grade and age requirements: A student currently enrolled in 3rd and 4th grade is eligible to play JV, and a student currently enrolled in 5th and 6th grade is eligible to play Varsity. A school with low student enrollment may request students in a lower grade and must be approved by HEAL. A student who turns 13 years old before August 1st of the current school year will not be eligible to participate in HEAL.
9. A player’s undershirt shall be white or similar in color to the torso of the uniform.
10. Three second violation:
a. JV season: No three second violation will apply, however; all coaches need to teach this rule.
b. Varsity season: Officials will use their discretion to call a three second violation.
11. Ball size for girls will be 28.5 and boys will use 29.5.
12. The mercy rule shall apply during the 2nd half of the game when one team has a 20-point advantage. The 3rd and 4th quarters will be played with a six-minute running clock, stopping only on timeouts.
13. A player must compete in at least 3 games during the season to be able to compete in the HEAL finals.
**Each school shall submit an official roster to the league prior to the first season game. NOTE: The game roster will differ from the official roster due to students’ eligibility.
2. Game order will be as follows; JV girls, JV boys, Varsity girls, Varsity boys.
3. Playing time shall be—five-minute pre-game warm up and three-minute halftime intermission.
a. Four eight-minute quarters.
b. Running clock for the entire game.
a. Exception: clock will stop on every free throw attempt.
b. Exception: clock will be stopped on every whistle in the last 60 seconds of the 2nd and 4th quarter.
c. Exception: clock will be stopped on every whistle during any overtime periods.
c. The clock will stop on every timeout, official’s time, and player injury.
d. Three-minute overtime period(s).
4. One-minute timeouts: 2 per half (NO carry over). One timeout per overtime period(s) (NO carry over).
5. A team or player shall not apply any defensive tactic(s) in the area of their frontcourt after a successful field goal or free throws. A missed basket is considered to be a live ball and the game shall continue
6. Free throw line:
a. JV Season: 14 feet—a player must attempt the free throw behind the free throw line and then be allowed to step over the free throw line after the release.
b. Varsity season: regulation distance 15 feet.
7. Coaching box decorum will be in effect for all games. Refer to the coaches and bench personnel conduct policy.
8. Grade and age requirements: A student currently enrolled in 3rd and 4th grade is eligible to play JV, and a student currently enrolled in 5th and 6th grade is eligible to play Varsity. A school with low student enrollment may request students in a lower grade and must be approved by HEAL. A student who turns 13 years old before August 1st of the current school year will not be eligible to participate in HEAL.
9. A player’s undershirt shall be white or similar in color to the torso of the uniform.
10. Three second violation:
a. JV season: No three second violation will apply, however; all coaches need to teach this rule.
b. Varsity season: Officials will use their discretion to call a three second violation.
11. Ball size for girls will be 28.5 and boys will use 29.5.
12. The mercy rule shall apply during the 2nd half of the game when one team has a 20-point advantage. The 3rd and 4th quarters will be played with a six-minute running clock, stopping only on timeouts.
13. A player must compete in at least 3 games during the season to be able to compete in the HEAL finals.