PAROCHIAL ATHLETIC LEAGUE

2024-25 Basketball Rules

Please give a copy of our rules to each coach and have a copy at your gymnasium to curb any problems that may arise.

General Information

Please make every effort to have someone who is at least 18 years of age, operating the scoreboard, and if provided, the scorebook (which should never be in the hands of a coach). Both should be seated at the scorer’s table.

The 8th grade boys teams will use the regulation men’s basketball (29.5).  All other grades and divisions will use the women’s intercollegiate basketball (28.5). The exception is all 3^rd grade teams – they will use the 27.5 basketball.

Advise your coaches, players, parents and fans to not arrive at a gymnasium more than one-half hour prior to game time. If your team is the opening game for the day, they should not arrive more than 20 minutes before tip-off time. The volunteers who work at the gymnasiums are busy and will not open the doors prior to this. Again, emphasize this to your coaches and pass the word.

**Reminder** Referee fees are $30 per team/per game. Do not pay the referees if there is a forfeit. The offending school will pay both ends of the fee ($60) if a forfeit occurs. The league commissioner should be advised immediately of potential forfeits. 

All divisions will have a tournament following league play. Tournaments will begin approximately one week after the regular season and conclude in approximately ten days, weather permitting. Please be generous with gymnasium time for the league tournaments.  Gyms will be needed for tournament games.

Tentative 2024-25 Tournament Dates

        3rd & 4th grades begin    6 February

5th & 6th grades   “         “          13 February

7th & 8th grades   “        “           20 February

**Reminder**

If any team drops out of tournament play after the brackets have been completed, but not necessarily posted to the website, that team/school will pay a $100 fee, in addition to the forfeit fees ($120).

Policy

When a game is canceled by one of the scheduled teams for any reason other than an unforeseen emergency (determined by the PAL Commissioner), and another game can’t be moved into the resulting gym opening, the team which canceled the game will pay the total officiating fee ($60) for that game. 

Additionally, if the canceled game can’t be re-scheduled, the team which canceled the game will take a forfeit loss in the official standings. If a team forfeits a game, they will also pay $60 to the school/sports club of the gym which was to host the game. 

Determination of forfeits and/or fees are at the discretion of the PAL Commissioner.

**Reminder**

The Family Admission Rate has been eliminated

Admission will be $3/Adult and $1/K-12

Score Reporting

In order to keep accurate league standings, winning coaches must report game results in a timely manner, preferably within 48 hours of the game being played. A score reporting link will be forwarded to ADs and/or the coaches before the season begins.

Coaches should also periodically check the website standings for accuracy and report any

possible errors to their athletic director.

Snow/Weather Policy

The safety of all involved will be considered first and foremost when any decision regarding weather cancellations is made. When bad weather is forecast and/or occurs, the PAL Director will confer with the PAL Board and the Officials to make a determination regarding games. 

An email to ADs, along with the website, will be utilized to communicate that decision.

Please keep in mind that there may be days when early morning games are cancelled, and afternoon games are played. Additionally, some games may be played at certain gyms, and not others. Coaches should not contact the PAL Director before, or after, a determination has been made – regarding that decision.

Sportsmanship/Ejection

PAL Basketball is a private Christian, predominantly Catholic, league. As such, PAL has ZERO tolerance for poor conduct. We exist to provide our student-athletes with an opportunity to compete against their peers in an environment which is fun, and which is conducted in the spirit of good sportsmanship – no team is playing for pay, and no player is playing for a scholarship of any kind.

The PAL Basketball Code of Conduct will be signed by the athletic director of any and all teams wishing to participate in PAL. Failure to do so, and to also submit the COC form to the PAL Director, prior to game scheduling will disqualify that school/parish from participating in PAL for that season. Additionally, all Athletic Directors are required to provide their coaches with a copy of the COC, which should be signed by the coaches and returned to the AD. The coaches should then provide a copy of the COC to parents for their signatures and the coach should keep those COC copies.  

Each athletic director is ultimately responsible for the conduct of their players, coaches, and fans. The PAL Director and PAL Board will review conduct issues and hand down discipline, accordingly.

Part 1:

**NEW**

All Player, Coach, or Fan Discipline, specifically a suspension, is now PAL Discipline… it is no longer discipline for a singular team. As a result of this change, attendance at ANY PAL game (or activity) in any way, is prohibited, UNTIL that suspension is served. If that suspension takes 2-4 weeks or longer (bye week, weather cancellation etc), then that time frame is the duration of the PAL Suspension... that carries over to the following season, if necessary to complete the suspension.  

The name/s of the player, coach, or fan suspended, or receiving discipline, must be provided to the PAL Director for the purpose of monitoring adherence to the suspension or discipline, and for any further disciplinary issues with that person.

Part 2:

**NEW**

Any ejection of a player, coach, or fan, must be reported immediately to the corresponding Athletic Director, who in turn will advise the PAL Director.

PAL has 3 levels of Discipline regarding suspensions -

1. In the event that a player, coach, or fan is ejected from any game, that individual is automatically suspended from the next PAL league/tournament game.     

1A) Refusal to immediately leave the gym, OR returning to continue the poor conduct following the game, elevates said discipline to the next level of discipline

2. Combative or aggressive verbal behavior by any coach, player, or fan, before, during or after a game including any altercation with an official, site representative, or member/fan of an opposing team: two (2) game suspension.

     2A) Refusal to end combative or aggressive behavior after requests from site personnel               or officials, elevates said discipline to the next level of discipline

3. Physical contact or overly aggressive behavior by any coach, player, or fan, before, during, or after a game:  

           four (4) game suspension and possible permanent league expulsion

Note. There is no appeal to an ejection and resulting suspension, or decisions on discipline. 

Additionally, the suspended person must also appear before that school’s governing athletic board before they are allowed to continue participation in any game. Failure to sit out the next game in which they are eligible to play/coach, or attend the same game, will result in an automatic forfeit for the team involved.

A confirmation letter or email, including the specifics of the meeting, must be sent to the league commissioner no more than one week after the incident. This letter must include the signatures of the athletic director, school principal, parish Pastor and the individual involved.

A second incident involving the same individual will be handled in the same manner and process. In the event of a second incident, escalating discipline will follow.

Game Rules

**NEW**

Teams are allowed to have one Head Coach and up to two (2) Assistant Coaches on their bench.. Score Keepers ARE NOT allowed on the bench.

No exceptions.  

Playing Up/Floating Players -

“Playing Up” is having a rostered player from a younger team (different grade) or lower division team (same grade) also play for an older team or upper division team, in order for the older team or upper division team, to have enough players to field a team. The player/s playing up are used throughout the season and must be listed on both rosters. This occurs more often with our smaller schools and with some of our girls teams.

Remember, the objective and Spirit of this rule, is to help schools facing season-long low numbers, or a grade which has too many players signed up for one team, but not enough for two (usually 12-13).

THIS SHOULD NOT INVOLVE VERY MANY TEAMS.

Note. Be cognizant of the fact that game scheduling has many, many moving parts. That being said, scheduling games for these teams at different times, should work many times (some teams may lose a home game, or two), but there are no guarantees, especially during tournament play.

 Limitations on Playing Up:

If you have 6 players, up to 3 can Play Up on this team.

If you have 7 players, up to 2 can Play up on this team.

If you have 8 players, one can play up on this team.

Additionally, use common sense and good discretion when reaching down a full grade level for players - do not ask for AAA or AA players to play on a B or A level team. This will be turned down - request the use of similar level players.

Regardless of your situation,

All teams wanting/needing players to “Play Up,” must advise the PAL Director before the season begins for approval.

“Floating Players” is against the rules. This occurs when a team is short of players for an upcoming game due to injuries, illness, travel team issue etc., and without approval from the league, they use (“borrow”) players from another team in order to have enough players for that game. These might be players from a younger team or another team in the same grade, but they are not on the roster of the team they will be playing for.

The issue of “Floating” players can be avoided by adding one, or two players from a younger or lower division team to the roster of a team which may potentially be low on numbers – see Playing Up.  

“Playing down” to a lower grade, or a lower division in the same grade (AAA to AA, AA to A, or A to B – Competitive to non-competitive) is never allowed and will result in a forfeit.

8th Boys (Only)

Use of regulation men’s basketball.

7th & 8th Boys & Girls

Seven minute quarters.

Continuous two minute overtime periods until a winner is determined.

No full court press if a team is winning by 15 or more points.

6th Boys Competitive (AA & AAA)

Six minute quarters.

Shoot free throws from regulation line

Continuous two minute overtime periods until a winner is determined.

No full court press if a team is winning by 15 or more points.

6th Boys Non Competitive (B & A)

Six minute quarters.

Shoot free throws from regulation line

Continuous two minute overtime periods until a winner is determined.

Full court press only allowed in fourth quarter and overtime.

No full court press if a team is winning by 15 or more points.

6th Girls, 5th Boys & Girls

Six minute quarters.

Continuous two minute overtime periods until a winner is determined.

Full court press only allowed in fourth quarter and overtime.

No full court press if a team is winning by 15 or more points.

Free throws may be shot from a line 2 feet in front of the regular foul

Line, with the exception of 5^th Boys AA. 

This line can be marked with black tape.

3rd & 4th Boys & Girls

Six minute quarters.

Five second (5) lane violation will be observed.

Overtime will be ONE 2 minute period (not continuous OTs). A game may end in a tie. 

Full court press only allowed for the last 30 seconds of regulation play and

the last 30 seconds of overtime. 

No full court press if a team is winning by 15 or more points.

When player control is established after a defensive rebound, or when

a change of possession occurs, the opposing team must drop back to

the half court line.  

Free throws will be shot from a line 2 feet ahead of the regular foul

line. This line can be marked with black vinyl tape.

**NEW**

3^rd and 4^th Grade Boys and Girls

Must play man-to-man defense

3^rd Grade Boys and Girls will use 27.5 basketball

All Grades

Once a 25 point lead is reached by any team, the defense of that team must move back into the three point line boundary. The first violation will be a warning by the officials, and all subsequent violations will result in a team technical foul.

PAL DOES NOT use a running clock, or sudden death play UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES

All players in uniform, sitting on the bench, and listed in the scorebook, must play in that game. The number of minutes played is decided by the parishes, ADs, and/or coaches.

Timeouts  

Three 60-second and two 30-second timeouts may be used by each team during regulation play. During each overtime period, each team is entitled to one 60-second timeout. 

Rosters

Rosters are due before the first game for all teams. 

All players must be members of the church, school, or in CCD to be eligible. Any prospective player from a different school/parish which DOES NOT have a basketball program or team with which they can play, may request approval from the PAL Director for clearance to play for another school/parish. If permission is given, the player is expected to play the remainder of their eligible years with that school/parish. 

Roster additions may be allowed until January 5th, with the approval of the PAL Commissioner. This will cover any students who transfer for the second semester.