2026 Game Day Rules

South Shore Basketball League – Game Day Rules

Updated 2026 Season

All head and assistant coaches – please read the following items so that everyone is on the same page for this upcoming South Shore League basketball season. This will act as your coaching staffs only warning regarding game situations during the season.

·      Games will consist of two, 20-minute (running clock) halves. The clock will stop for timeouts and after a whistle during the last two minutes of each half. 

·      Halftime will consist of two minutes.  Overtime will consist of three minutes (stop clock).

 ·      Each team will be granted two timeouts per half and one timeout per overtime period. Timeouts do not carryover.

Please adhere to the following game day rules:

3^rd/4^th Grade South Shore boys & girls – the players on defense MUST remain in the key behind the 3-point line until the offense advances the ball over mid court. (NO PRESSSING)

5^th/6^th Grade South Shore boys & girls – players can only press in the final 5 minutes of each half. NO PRESS BY EITHER TEAM if the score is 11 points or greater. 

7^th/8^th Grade South Shore boys & girls – the press rule is NO PRESS BY EITHER TEAM if the score is 20 points or greater. Can only press in the last 10 mins of each half. 

MERCY RULE- At halftime or beyond, once the score differential becomes (25 points or more for 3^rd and 4^th grade and 5^th and 6^th grade), (30 points for 7^th and 8^th ) all scores will freeze and scores will be reported as such. Clock will continue to run as normal and fouls will continue. For 7^th and 8^th grade there is NO PRESSING once the score is frozen. Coaches should substitute once scores are frozen.  

·      A player will foul out of the game on his/her 5^th personal foul. 

·      There is no longer one and one on the 7^th team foul. On the 10^th team foul a team will shoot two free throws in each half. 

·      The coaches box goes from hash mark to end line.

·      Only ONE coach can stand during game play unless instructed to sit due to a technical foul or other game controlling methods authorized by the officials. 

·      No more than THREE coaches on the bench. This includes a coach at the score table. 

·      The scorekeeper is an extension of the bench. They are not to be involved in any comments, coaching, etc. They are to keep the book. The referees are not hearing from the score table. If the score table representative gets a technical, it applies to the coaching staff. Meaning 2 shots, the ball to the other team and coaches sit down for the remainder of the game.

If a technical foul is issued to any coach or book personnel at the bench or score table, ALL COACHES MUST SIT FOR THE REMAINDER of the game. If you refuse to sit, you are subjected to immediate ejection which will result in future suspensions as outlined in the league bylaws. Also, the organization is subjected to fines payable to the league as per its bylaws. If anyone from the coaching staff is ejected, they must completely leave the area for the evening. They are not to wait in the lobby, parking lot, and most importantly, they are NOT to approach any referees after the game. Discipline from the league, team Administration and possibly law enforcement (in the worst case) will follow if you do not adhere.

Fan Decorum is a point of emphasis: It is the responsibility of the site administrator and coaches to control the behavior of the fans. If fans are ejected and refuse to leave, the game will be stopped, and the clock will run until those individuals leave the property. 

As a friendly yearly reminder about end of game situations – the final few minutes are sometimes intense.  The following is something we have been preaching at all levels:

·      If you need to foul at the end of the game, the officials recommend using a code word such as “take one,” “Blue,” “Red,” “X,” “Q” or anything other than yelling “FOUL, FOUL, FOUL.” This will head off potential intentional fouls and possible altercations.

Playoffs: Top four teams in each division advance to playoffs. Tie breaker for playoff seeding will be:

·      Head to Head

·      Point Differential (only teams involved in tie)

·      Least amount of forfeits

·      Coin Flip