Game rules

Game rules 5x5

The official FIBA basketball rules apply with the following exceptions:
a)     Playing time is 2 x 15 continuous minutes. Only the last three minutes of the second half are clocked and, during the last two minutes, the clock is also stopped after a basket is scored. The half-time break is two minutes long, there is one time-out (1 minute) per team per half.
b)      A player who fouls for a fourth time in a game cannot play any longer in that game. After a team gets eight fouls in one half, further fouls are penalized with two free throws.
c)     There is no guarantee for a warm-up period and balls will not be provided for it. If both teams have shirts of the same color, the team named first in the schedule will change strip.
d)     Except for the final in each age group, ball possession is not timed to 24 seconds. If obvious violations of the 24-second rule occur, the referee may announce by calling ”15” or “20” that he or she will interrupt the game after another nine or four seconds.
e)     Substitutions are carried out without interrupting the game. The incoming player may only enter the court when and where the outgoing player has completely left it. Violations will result in a technical foul being given to the incoming player.
f)      Tied games in the group and placement rounds will be decided by “sudden death” in extra time. All tied games in the final rounds will be determined by which team is ahead after two minutes of extra time.
g)     If two or more teams end up equal on points, the rules of the German Basketball Association („DBB-Spielordnung“) will apply.
h)     Teams have to be on court and ready to play at the scheduled time. Teams that are late or do not turn up will lose the game. There is no grace period. The start of games will no be delayed.
i)     If a team ends a game early and on purpose, or if one if its players turns out to be too old for the team’s age group, it will be excluded from the tournament.
j)     A player may only be used in one team per age group. In case of violation, loss of game and retention of the deposit.
k)     Protests must be declared directly to the referee of a game immediately after the reason for the protest has arisen. An explanation in writing must be submitted to the tournament office within one hour after the end of the game. The processing fee is 50 Euro, which will only be paid back if the protest is successful. Beyond this, FIBA rules about protest proceedings apply. The German version of the FIBA rulebook applies. 
l)    For all u10-, u12-, u14-, ans u16 games, man-to-man defense starting from midcourt is compulsory. Furthermore, please see information below.
m)  U10 and u12 teams will play with size 5 balls. All other female teams and the boys u14 will play with size 6 balls.  All other male teams will play with size 7 balls, in accordance with FIBA rules. If both teams in a match agree, these rules can be ignored. 
n)     In each game, a maximum of 12 players may participate for each team.

Criteria for man-to-man defense

The following criterias apply:
a)     The player in possession of the ball must be guarded closely, at a distance of one arm’s length at the most.
b)     The defending players on the ball side are not allowed to sag (deny defense).
c)     Only the player in possession of the ball may be double teamed. For U10 and U12, also this is not allowed.
d)     Defending players on the weak side are only allowed to sag up to the imaginary basket-basket line.

The referees enforce teams’ adherence to these rules of defense:

  1. At the first violation of a team, a warning is given by the referees. The warning shall be given immediately upon recognition of the violation, provided that the offending team is not disadvantaged by the interruption. After the warning, the ball shall be given to the team that had the right of possession at the time of the warning.
  2. For each subsequent violation by a team, the offending team shall be awarded one point. Again, the team that had the right of possession at the time of the stoppage shall receive the ball.

Mini rules