Rules and Bylaws

NOMINATION AND ELIGIBILITY BY-LAWS

NOMINATION OF TEAMS AND PLAYERS

  1. Teams must consist of at least eight (8) registered players.

  2. Participants can register individually (preferred option) and be placed into the relevant competition and team by the NCBL.

  3. Competition age groups are below. Players may be asked to play up age divisions if the NCBL directors determine it would be for the betterment of the player and the competition.

Under 8’s

Under 10’s

Under 12’s

Under 14’s

Under 16’s

Under 18’s

Under 20’s

  1. Players must be turning at least six (6) years of age in that calendar year to play in the competition.

  2. Players and teams can nominate their preferred age group, but NCBL reserves the right to move teams up or down depending on competition formats and for the betterment of the team/player or competition.

  3. NCBL will accept junior representative teams to play in the junior competition as a development pathway. These teams will be placed in the relevant competition in-line with the NCBL directors discretion.

ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS

  1. All players must pay their competition registration fee before taking the court for the relevant NCBL competition.

  2. Any player playing under an alias or another players’ name constitutes a forfeit which is recorded as a 20-point loss and no competition points.

  3. Players cannot interchange between teams in the same competition but can play up divisions if required.

  4. NCBL is not an affiliate member of Basketball NSW and therefore does not give qualification for representative commitments or BNSW membership. As there is no governing body and the NCBL is a privately run league, all regulations are governed by the NCBL directors and can be appealed or disputed to the NCBL directors.

GAME BY-LAWS

TIMING

  1. Games will be played in four (4) periods of 10 minutes with a one (1) minute interval between the first and second periods, a three (3) minute half-time interval and a one (1) minute interval between the third and fourth periods. Under 8’s and Under 10’s will be the same regulations but the game will be played in four (4) eight (8) minute periods.

  2. Teams are permitted to have one (1) timeout in the first half and two (2) timeouts in the second half. Teams can only use one (1) timeout in the last two (2) minutes of the game.

  3. The game clock stops for all timeouts.

  4. The game clock also stops for all whistles and successful baskets in the last two (2) minutes of the game if the score difference is less than 20 points.

There are no shot clocks used in NCBL competitions.

OVERTIME

  1. In round games a tie shall be a valid result.

  2. In semi-finals and grand finals extra periods of three (3) minutes (fully timed) will be played to break a tie with two (2) minute intervals in between periods.

GRADING

Teams will be placed into their nominated divisions wherever possible. However, NCBL reserves the right to move teams up or down divisions if the NCBL directors believe the competition and team will be better for the move. Teams may be moved during the competition if scores indicate continual differences. Discussions can be arranged between teams and NCBL to discuss re-grading if required, however, NCBL will make the final decision.

STARTING A GAME

  1. Games cannot start unless teams have a minimum of four (4) players ready to take the court. If teams are unable to start, the coach must contact an NCBL staff member to see if we have players available to fill in for the game.

  2. Teams arriving late will be penalised two (2) game points per minute (or part thereof) until 10 minutes have elapsed at which time the game shall be declared a forfeit.

  3. Referees will administer the late penalty rules.

PLAYING UNIFORMS

  • All players must be correctly dressed in team colours. If an individual is in an NCBL draft team they will have NCBL singlet and shorts as a uniform. If you nominate a team together, the team must be wearing a matching uniform. Uniform rules are as follows:

  • Playing singlets must be the same colour and style and correctly numbered front and back.

  • Playing numbers must be 0-00 and 1-99.

  • Under shirts may be worn but must be the same colour as the playing singlet and no long sleeves.

  • Shorts must be the same colour with no pockets. No casual or board shorts. Skins may be worn under basketball or active wear shorts.

  • Players out of uniform are eligible to play but the opposition team will be awarded 10 game points for each player out of uniform.

  • In the case of two teams taking the court with the same colours, NCBL will provide alternate uniforms/bibs to one team for the game.

  • Players are not permitted to wear any equipment that may cause injury to other players. The following are not permitted.

    • Finger, hand, wrist, elbow or forearm guards, helmets, casts or any brace made of plastic, leather, metal or any other hard substance.

    • Objects that could cause cuts or abrasions.

    • Hair accessories or jewellery.

COURT AND BALL

Ball Sizes

Under 8’s – Size 5

Under 10’s – Size 5

Under 12’s – Size 5

Under 14’s – Size 6

Under 16’s Boys – Size 7

Under 16’s Girls – Size 6

Under 18’s Boys – Size 7

Under 18’s Girls – Size 6

Under 20’s Boys – Size 7

Under 20’s Girls – Size 6

Lower height rings (2.59m) will be used for U-8 and U-10 competitions. Regulation height (3.05m) rings will be used for all other competitions.

Free throws in U-8 and U-10 competitions will be taken from the small line 600mm in front of the standard free throw line. Free throws will be taken from the standard line in all other competitions.

ZONE DEFENCE

NCBL competitions have a no zone defence policy, regardless of the age group.

If a coach believes the opposition in the age categories outlined in Rule 24. are playing zone defence they should tell the NCBL court supervisor who will make an immediate assessment of the game and make a ruling.

MERCY RULE

If a team in the U-8, U-10, U-11 and U-12 competitions has a lead of 20 points or more they must play back court defence during which time there will be no traps or presses. Once the lead is reduced to 15 or below, the team may play full court defence again.

SCORING RULES

The three (3) point rule will not be used for Under 8’s or Under 10’s competitions, meaning all baskets will be awarded two (2) points irrespective of where they are taken.

COMPETITION AND FINALS BY-LAWS

Competition Points/Forfeits

Competition points awarded for games will be three (3) points for a win, two (2) points for a tie (round games only) and one (1) point for a loss. Teams who forfeit will receive no points for a forfeit.

Teams that forfeit twice without notification can be removed from the competition.

In the case of an unnotified forfeit, that team in attendance may use the court for a practice session at no cost or ask NCBL staff members to find players where possible to have a practice game.

Score Bench Duty

Each team is required to provide a person to perform score bench duty for their game.

Semi-Finals / Grand-Finals

To be eligible to play in semi-finals and grand finals a player must have played a minimum of five (5) competition games for that team. Grading games do not count towards finals eligibility.

Special consideration for players missing games due to injury or illness must be in writing to the NCBL directors, accompanied by a doctor’s certificate.

Special consideration is at the discretion of the NCBL directors.

Forfeits count as games played for all non-offending teams. Forfeits do not count as games played for players of offending teams.

The top four (4) teams in each division will progress to the semi-finals. Winners of the semi-finals will progress to the grand final.

Semi-Final 1 is 1st v 4th

Semi-Final 2 is 2nd v 3rd

Grand Final is the winner of semi-final 1 v winner of semi-final 2.

The methods for determining semi-finalists and grand finalists as described above may be varied at the discretion of NCBL.

In the event that teams finish the season on equal competition points they will be separated in the first instance by comparing the results of games between the teams on a win/loss basis.

If teams cannot be separated by the rule above then points for and against in all games played during the competition will be taken into consideration. The team with the higher percentage will fill the higher position.

The percentage will be decided by “points for” divided by “points against” x 100.

DISPUTES BY-LAWS

NCBL will adjudicate all disputes about these By-Laws in the form of a directors meeting to discuss the dispute. If necessary the NCBL directors will convene a tribunal or mediation process with relevant parties.

As there is no governing body and the NCBL is a privately run league, all regulations are governed by the NCBL directors and can be appealed or disputed to the NCBL directors.

BEHAVIOUR BY-LAWS

Behaviour of all players, coaches, officials and spectators must be sportsmanlike at all times and in the best interests of the game and competition. Please see the NCBL Code of Conduct for prohibited conduct and further details of the behavioural regulations.

Players who, in the opinion of the referee, breach behavioural policies or behave in an unsportsmanlike manner can be issued with a technical or unsportsmanlike foul.

If the player receives a second technical or unsportsmanlike foul in the same game they will be ejected from the game and must leave the venue.

Reports from the referees or supervisors will be referred to the NCBL directors for assessment and relevant tribunal processes if deemed necessary.

Hanging on the ring, backboard or net may result in a technical foul as per FIBA rules.

Players, coaches and managers displaying behaviour which compromises the safety of themselves and/or others may be dismissed from the court by the referee, NCBL supervisor or NCBL directors.

NCBL CODE OF CONDUCT

1.1 Basketball will be played according to the spirit of fair play and participants must not seek to gain an unfair advantage or in any way manipulate a result.

1.2 Violence has no part in the sport of basketball. Violence, intimidation or threats of any

kind, whether on or off the court are unacceptable and this type of conduct will not be tolerated.

1.3 Participants and spectators must treat people and property appropriately at all times while

competing in any event or competition run by the NCBL. NCBL have the authority to remove players or spectators from the league if this behaviour is present, whether consistent or one-off.

1.4 Participants must behave at all times in a manner that upholds the highest

standards of integrity and dignity and must not engage in conduct that is, or make

comments (including written, verbal or via social media or other digital media platforms)

that are, unbecoming to the sport of basketball or that brings the sport of basketball into disrepute.

1.5 Participants must respect cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, physical,

intellectual, gender, marital and sexual orientation differences at all times. Both on and

off the court, participants must refrain from:

1.5. (a) any form of abuse, harassment, discrimination or vilification, or any

conduct which might reasonably be regarded as abuse, harassment,

discrimination or vilification towards others or any other person;

1.5. (b) any conduct (whether through the use of language, gestures or otherwise)

that is reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten,

disparage or vilify any reasonable person;

1.5. (c) unnecessary or obvious dissension, displeasure, disapproval or

intimidation of officials and their decisions (this may take the form, but is

not limited to, derogatory or abusive words or gestures toward, or the use

of violence or threats of violence against, a match official).

1.6 Participants must not physically, sexually or verbally assault another person

or sexually harass another person, including but not limited to unwanted, unwelcome

or uninvited behaviour.

1.7 Participants must not victimise, threaten or retaliate against any other

person because that person has raised a complaint, made a report or is participating

in any investigation or hearing under this Code of Conduct or the Framework.