Small Sided Sports 3X3 Basketball competition uses the International standard rules from FIBA.

In order that the rules are more inclusive of beginner players, allowances and slight modifications have been made to ensure that the participation experience is the best it can be.

In order to accommodate the desired Bully Free element of the competition other allowances have also been made.

OFFICIAL FIBA RULES

3x3 Official Rules of the Game January 2015

3X3 is recognised globally at all levels from Grass Roots to Elite to be the most efficient tool to teach basketball fundamentals; Individual Skills and Team Skills around game sense, spacing and motion.

SSSports Rules for 3X3 Basketball are based upon Official FIBA Rules modified as required for Grass Roots Competitions.

The Official FIBA Basketball Rules of the Game are valid for all game situations not specifically mentioned in the 3x3 Rules of the Game herein.

Art. 1 Court and Ball

The game will be played on a 3x3 basketball court with 1 basket.

A regular 3x3 court playing surface is 15m (width) x 11m (length).

The court shall have a regular basketball playing court sized zone, including a free throw line (5.80m), a two point line (6.75m) and a “no-charge semi-circle” area underneath the one basket.

Half a traditional basketball court may be used.

The official 3x3 ball shall be used in all categories.

Note: at grassroots level, 3x3 can be played anywhere; court markings – if any are used – shall be adapted to the available space

Art. 2 Teams

Each team shall consist of 4 to 5 players (3 players on the court and 2 substitutes). 

Art. 3 Game Officials

The game officials shall consist of 1 referee who will also keep score for the game.

Art. 4 Beginning of the Game

4.1.        Both teams shall warm-up simultaneously prior to the game.

4.2.        Possession is determined by Scissors; Paper; Rock – the winner to get the ball to start the game.

In the event of overtime the same team will secure possession of the ball at the beginning of  overtime.

4.3.        The game must start with three players on the court.

Note: articles 4.3 and 6.4 apply to FIBA 3x3 Official Competitions* only (not mandatory for grassroots events).

* FIBA Official Competitions are Olympic Tournaments, 3x3 World Championships (incl. U18), Zone Championships (incl. U18), the 3x3 World Tour and 3x3 All Stars 

Art. 5 Scoring

5.1.        Every shot inside the arc shall be awarded one 1 point.

5.2.        Every shot behind the arc shall be awarded 2 points.

5.3.        Every successful free throw shall be awarded 1 point.

5.4          MERCY RULE:

If a team has a lead of 14 points the following needs to occur:

• The team plays with 2 players – the game becomes 3 on 2
• They remain at two players until such time as the lead is reduced to 8 points at which time they are able to reinstate 3 players

Art. 6 Playing time/Winner of a Game

6.1.        The regular playing time shall be as follows: one period of 10 minutes playing time. The clock shall continue to run during the game.

6.2.        However the first team which scores 21 points or more wins the game if it happens before the end of regular playing time. This rule applies to regular playing time only (not in a potential overtime).

6.3.        If the score is tied at the end of playing time, the score will stand with the exception of Finals Games. Extra Time will consist of 2 minutes of playing time. Additional Periods of 2 minutes will continue until a result is determined.

6.4.        A team shall lose the game by forfeit if at the scheduled starting time the team is not present on the playing court with a minimum of 2 players ready to play. In case of a forfeit, the game score is marked with w-0 or 0-w (“w” standing for win).

6.5          The focus of this competition is Bully Free; therefore the expectation is that there will be no Forfeits and no teams becoming involved in behaviour outlined in Rule 6.6 and 6.7.

6.6.        A team shall lose by default if it leaves the court before the end of the game or all the players of the team are injured and/or disqualified. In case of a default situation, the winning team can choose to keep its score or have the game forfeited, whilst the defaulting team's score is set to 0 in any case.

6.7.        A team losing by default or a tortuous forfeit will be disqualified from the competition.

Note: if a game clock is not available the running time’s length and/or required points for sudden death is at the organizer’s discretion. FIBA recommends setting the score limit in line with the game’s duration (10 minutes/10 points; 15 minutes/15 points; 21 minutes/21 points).

Art. 7 Fouls/Free throws

1.1.             All contact on shooters is to be called as a foul.

1.2.             A team is in a penalty situation after it has committed 6 fouls. Players are not excluded from the game based on the number of personal fouls subject to art. 15.

1.3.             Fouls during the act of shooting inside the arc shall be awarded 1 free throw, whilst fouls during the act of shooting behind the arc shall be awarded 2 free throws.

1.4.             Fouls during the act of shooting followed by a successful field goal shall be awarded 1 additional free throw.

1.5.             Any Team fouls 7, 8 and 9 shall always be awarded with 2 free throws. The 10th and any subsequent team foul will be awarded with 2 free throws and ball possession. This clause is applied also to fouls during the act of shooting and overrules 7.2 and 7.3.

1.6.             The focus of this competition is Bully Free; therefore the expectation is that there will be no Technical Fouls and No Unsportsmanlike Fouls. We therefore presume that we will NEVER need to deal with Rule 7.7

1.7.             All technical fouls will be always awarded with 1 free throw and ball possession; whilst unsportsmanlike fouls will be awarded with 2 free throws and ball possession. The game shall continue with an exchange of the ball behind the arc at the top of the court after a technical or unsportsmanlike foul.

Note: no free throws are awarded after offensive foul.

Art. 8 How the Ball is played

8.1.         Following each successful field goal or last free throw (except those followed by ball possession):

• A player from a non-scoring team will resume the game by dribbling or passing the ball uncontested from inside the court directly underneath the basket (not from behind the end line) to a place on the court anywhere behind the 3 point arc arc.
• The defensive team is not allowed to play for the ball in the “no-charge semi-circle area” underneath the basket.

8.2. Following each unsuccessful field goal or last free throw (except those followed by ball possession):

• If the offensive team rebounds the ball, it may continue to attempt to score without returning the ball behind the 3 point arc arc.
• If the defensive team rebounds the ball, it must return the ball to any point behind the 3 point arc  (by passing or dribbling).

8.3.        If the defensive team steals or blocks the ball inside the 3 point arc, it must return the ball to a point anywhere behind the 3 point arc (by passing or dribbling)

8.4.        Possession of the ball given to either team following any dead ball situation shall start with a check-ball, i.e. an exchange of the ball (between the defensive and the offensive player) behind the arc at the top of the court.

8.5.        A player is considered to be “behind the arc” when neither of his feet are inside or on the three point line.

8.6.        In the event of a jump ball situation, the defensive team shall be awarded the ball.

Art. 9 Stalling

9.1.        Deliberately holding the ball up to prevent the opposition from getting possessions when the score is within 3 points; shall be dealt with by a warning to shoot the ball. Failure to shoot the ball will result in loss of possession.

9.2.        If the court is equipped with a shot clock, a team must attempt a shot within 12 seconds. The clock shall start as soon as the ball is in the offensive players’ hands (following the exchange with the defensive player or after a successful field goal underneath the basket).

Note: If the court is not equipped with a shot clock and a team is not sufficiently trying to attack the basket, the referee shall give them a warning by counting the last 5 seconds.

Art. 10 Substitutions

Substitutions can be done by any team:

• After a score
• After a violation or a foul
• prior to the check-ball or free throw.
• Compulsory subs will be called every 2.5 minutes to ensure that all players get to play

The substitute can enter the game after his teammate steps off the court and executes a high five.

Substitutions can sit anywhere on the sideline and substitutions require no action from the referees or table officials.

Art. 11 Time-outs

11.1.      There are no time outs in Bully Free SSSA Competitions.

11.2.      In case of TV production, the organizer can decide to apply two TV time-outs that will be called at the first dead ball after respectively the game clock showing 6:59 and 3:59 in all games.

11.3.      All time-outs have a length of 30 seconds

Note: time-outs and substitutions can only be called in dead ball situations and cannot be called when the ball is live pursuant 8.1.

Art.12 Protest procedure

The focus of this competition is Bully Free; therefore the expectation is that there will be no Grounds or actions with regard to protests. Every effort will be made to ensure that the games are conducted fairly, safely and in a FUN environment. We therefore presume that we will NEVER need to deal with Rule 12.

In case a team believes its interests have been adversely affected by a decision of an official or by any event that took place during a game, it must proceed in the following manner:

• A player of that team shall sign the score sheet immediately at the end of the game and before the referee signs it.
• Within 30 minutes, the team should present a written explanation of the case, as well as a security deposit of 200 USD to the Sports Director. If the protest is accepted, then the security deposit is refunded.
• Video materials may be used only to decide if a last shot for a field goal at the end of the game was released during playing time and/or whether that shot for a field goal counts for 1 or 2 points.

Art. 13 Standings of teams

Both in pools and in overall competition standings, the following classification rules apply. If teams are tied after the first step, refer to the next one – and so on.

13.1.      Most wins (or win ratio in case of unequal number of games in inter-pool comparison);

13.2.      Head-to-head confrontation (only taking win/loss into account and applies within a pool only);

13.3.      Percentage Calculation Points for/Points against (excluding forfeits).

Art. 14 Seeding rules

Teams are seeded based on the skill and experience level of their player group. This will be assessed by determining whether or not the player has played basketball previously and at what level he/she may have played.

• For a new player
• For a player who has played another sport
• For a player who has played basketball
• For a player who is playing basketball

Art. 15 Disqualification

The focus of this competition is Bully Free; therefore the expectation is that there will be no situations where players may be disqualified. Every effort will be made to ensure that the games are conducted fairly, safely and in a FUN environment. We therefore presume that we will NEVER need to deal with Rule 15.

A player committing 2 unsportsmanlike fouls (not applicable to technical fouls) will be disqualified from the game by the referees and may be disqualified from the event by the organizer. Independent thereof, the organizer will disqualify the player(s) concerned from the event for acts of violence, verbal or physical aggression, tortuous interference in game results, a violation of FIBA’s Anti-Doping rules (Book 4 of the FIBA Internal Regulations) or any other breach of the FIBA Code of Ethics (Book 1, Chapter II of the FIBA Internal Regulations). The organizer may also disqualify the entire team from the event depending on the other team members' contribution (also through non-action) to the aforementioned behaviour. FIBA's right to impose disciplinary sanctions under the regulatory framework of the event, the Terms and Conditions of 3x3planet.com and the

FIBA Internal Regulations remains unaffected by any disqualification under this Article 15.