Be an encourager! Remember: Upward isn’t about us! Upward is about the kids! Keep your cool and let the official be the authority on the court!
Rules Summary
Outside of these special rules, the National Federation of High School Associations Rule Book governs play.
- Man-to-Man defense will be played at all times. Zone defenses are not allowed.
- Double-teaming is not allowed. However, help defense is encouraged in the following instances:
- in the lane area
- off picks and screens. At the appropriate time, players should return to guarding their assigned player.
- during fast breaks. When an offensive player has beaten their defender, another defensive player may help. Upon stopping the fast break, defenders should return to guarding their assigned player Defensive players must stay within arm’s reach of the player that they are guarding
- Fill out your substitution/rotation form. At the beginning of each 6-minute segment, both coaches are to line up corresponding players (based on your fixed rotation form) across from each other. Occasionally, adjustments may need to be made for fairness sake. The goal is to have players of similar strength guarding each other.
- Full court presses are not allowed. Defensive players cannot guard their opponents in the backcourt.
- Backcourt violations will not be called.
- The offense must purposefully attack the defense in every situation (no delaying of play.) After a warning from the referee, if the offense does not cross half court, a violation will be called, and the ball will be awarded to the opposing team.
- Referees will call and explain all violations and the penalty will be a turnover.
- When possible, referees will verbally advise players of potential violations before the violation occurs.
- No score will be given for a basket in the wrong goal. It will be treated as a turnover.
- Fouls:
- A player committing two fouls in one 6-minute segment must sit out the remainder of that segment. The next player in the rotation comes in as the substitute. This does not change the normal rotation because the fouled out player does not come back in the game until scheduled to do so. The player who comes in as a substitute gains extra playing time. This extra time does not affect the predetermined substitution. Note: In a second foul situation where a team only has five players at a game, replace the substitution rule with a two-point penalty by awarding the fouled team two additional points.
- Non-shooting fouls result in the ball being taken out on the side by the offended team.
- Shooting fouls result in free throws.
- Their will be no technical fouls or protest of games. Officials (or a player’s coach) may take a child out of the game for ongoing poor behavior, attitude or for flagrant fouls.
- Fouls in the last two minutes of the game:
- Non-shooting fouls result in the offensive team getting one point and the ball.
- Shooting fouls result in the offensive team scoring two points. The opposing team then takes possession.
- Players fouled in the act of shooting and making the basket, are credited with the basket plus one point.
- The opposing team then takes possession.
- Score keeping. Score is not kept in the kindergarten and first grade league. In all other leagues score will be kept. Scoreboards will be shut down if either team obtains a 20-point lead. Scorekeepers will continue to keep the score privately on paper. If the lead is cut to ten points, the score will again be displayed.
Conflict. Under no circumstances should a coach lose his temper or question the call of an official. Please remember that you are setting an example of self-control for your players. Coaches that are unable to control their temper or who are argumentative will be removed from their coaching position. Should conflict occur, please gain control of your emotions then talk with the person you are in tension with. If this doesn’t resolve the issue and the problem cannot be overlooked, contact the Upward Basketball league commissioner.
