2. The philosophy is to enjoy the competitive spirit and camaraderie of a fun game in a structured league.
3. We will not tolerate any displays of anger, threatening comments or actions, or foul language for any reason.
4. We will not tolerate words/gestures that are meant to provoke or threaten other players or anyone else involved with the game.
5. Players are not allowed to talk to the scorekeeper (scorekeepers are volunteers- please respect them.)
6. If there is a strong disagreement with referees, the captain needs to talk to the league director, Tim Kerns, not to the referee. Referees are not required to defend their officiating to players/spectators. Since there is no security, these referees are to be given total control. If you disagree with the officials at your game, you are obligated to control your emotions and call our office during regular business hours.
7. Physical confrontation: Any player, manager, or person affiliated with a team physically confronting (poking, pushing, shoving, or the like) an official, player, or spectator before, during, or after the game will be suspended from the league for a time period determined by the PSBL board. A blow or punch to the head will be grounds for a minimum one-year suspension and possible permanent refusal of service. Any physical bump or action taken against an official, including aggressive confrontations is now a felony in Washington and punishable both civilly and criminally. Teammates need to keep players away from referees (physically). Again, calling the office is an angry player’s only recourse.
8. We are certain that there will be some incorrect calls for you and incorrect calls against you, but all calls will stand. Players get six fouls which is considered an extra foul in case of a missed call.
9. During free throws, the team on defense gets the full block. Only 2 offensive players & three defensive players can line up in the free throw lane. Other players cannot cross the three-point line until the ball hits the rim. Referees should watch player’s bodies and arms to prevent undue contact on free throw rebounds.
10. Spectators are a privilege and are not covered in the team fee. They must abide by the same standards as the players.
11. Two unsportsmanlike technical fouls on an individual player in 1 game may result in a 1 game suspension.
12. Unsportsmanlike Conduct will result in a technical foul, an ejection, and possibly a suspension. Definition of Unsportsmanlike Conduct: To be unsportsmanlike is to act in a manner unbecoming of a fair, ethical, honorable individual. It consists of acts of disrespect such as making debasing or critical remarks about or to an official or an opponent, or vulgarity such as the use of profanity whether or not directed at someone. The penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is a technical foul which results in two free throws plus possession unless the act is flagrant in which case the offender may be disqualified. A player, coach, substitute, or spectator shall not: disrespectfully address an official’s decision by rising from the bench or using gestures; incite undesirable crowd reactions; or enter onto the court unless by permission of an official or to attend an injured player. The referee may end the game if its nature becomes negative, angry, or violent. Referees may end the game on a team’s 2^nd unsportsmanlike “T.” The following is a list of required technical fouls, ejection(s), and suspensions. The referees, by contract, agree to call these and are not personal in nature. Most ejections require the player to leave the gym.
a. Excessive verbal abuse may be penalized for up to an 11-month suspension.
b. Glaring at anyone is considered to be taunting and the player will be assessed a “T”. Talking to your opponent in a negative manner will be a “T”.
c. Approaching a referee/walking towards a referee is an ejection; if the approach is done in a threatening manner there may be a league suspension.
d. Talking to the referees in a derogatory manner before, during, and after the game is disallowed. If you have an issue with a referee, do not settle it at that time. Call the director’s voicemail at 206.632.HOOP and voice your complaint without penalty. Players have no right to settle issues immediately.

13. Any player that receives 3 Technical Fouls in two games will receive an automatic one game suspension without refund.

14. Any player ejected from a game twice, or that receives 4 Technical fouls within a 9-game series of games, will receive a suspension for the remainder of the season, or 4 games, whichever is greater.

15. Any TEAM that receives a total of 5 Technical fouls over a span of 9 games will receive a 1 game suspension for the entire TEAM without refund. PSBL reserves the right to review each technical foul received on a case by case basis. 

16. Uniform RULES: These uniform rules are important. Teams like to play against organized teams (teams with the exact color uniforms.) Nobody wants to pay money to play against teams in four different shades of blue, or T-shirts with logos on them and non-matching undershirts. The ability to see an opponent or teammate peripherally based on solid colors helps the game (you need to see colors for effective fast breaks, long passes, and look away passes.) You should not have to look exactly at a teammate to find out what team they are on.
Undershirts must be removed unless they match in color.
a. The Captain must bring jerseys in a drawstring bag
b. The Captain is responsible for bringing at least 2 extra jerseys each week in case a player forgets his or her jersey

c. Players are not allowed to wear bandannas, hats, or "hair-bands": HEADBANDS are okay.

d. Players are not allowed to wear plastic bands or LIVESTRONG bands around their wrists: WRISTBANDS are okay.
17. Flagrant-1: This is a rule modeled after the NBA. We have chosen to use the NBA standard for this rule rather than the High School rules. The High School standards name the foul described below (a-c) as ‘intentional’. What is odd about the high school rule is that they describe the intentional foul as this league does the Flagrant -1 (below a-c,) but many of those types of fouls below are not intentional. In fact, the High School rules have a portion describing the ‘intentional foul’ as called even if it was unintentional (if it meets any a-c below.) As you can guess, in this example, players disagree when referees make the correct call of ‘intentional’. The word intentional is insulting to players, so we will rename it as the NBA names it. This type of foul will be called ‘Flagrant -1’.

ABOUT THE PENALTY: A flagrant-1 will yield two shots, possession, and will be noted on the infracting player’s record (written on the foul sheet.)

The Flagrant-1 definition is as follows:
An intentional foul can be called either ‘Intentional’ or flagrant-1.
a. An excessively hard foul
b. A dangerous play or dangerous foul
c. Swinging of the elbows illegally (Note: It is legal for your elbows to move with the torso. If the elbows move independently of the torso (faster than the torso,) it will be considered ‘swinging’ and this will be called FLAGRANT-1.
18. Flagrant-2: Any foul meeting the Flagrant-1 definition and combined with intent. Hard fouls, dangerous plays, swinging elbows can all be done accidentally, but if they are intentional, this should be called a Flagrant-2. ‘Intentional’ is further defined as not accidental or part of the game. Penalty for the Flagrant-2 foul is an ejection.
19. The Diving Rule: A loose ball is not a fumble and players are not allowed to dive through opponent’s legs. However, in this league, we do not allow you to dive at all. In this league, diving for loose balls and/or running through curtains when there might be someone on the other side is strictly prohibited resulting in a turnover called by the official (or a technical foul if deemed dangerous.) This is a recreational league and taking out an ankle or knee is a horrible price to pay for gaining possession of a basketball. The scrums you see in college or high school basketball where players dive into or underneath the legs of opponents during a loose ball will not be tolerated.

Exceptions that referees are allowed to use (not required but allowed to use): Saving a ball from going out of bounds when there is no danger of diving into legs, spectators, etc. can be let go by the referee. Also, in the final 1 Minute of a close game, referees may ignore diving for balls that falls within the range of legal. Note: The rule is NO DIVING so if a referee calls a turnover, do not get upset the referee didn’t let it go.
20. Game time, timeouts, running clock, TIMING ISSUES:

Pre-game warm up and stretch time: Warm up by stretching and signing the foul sheet on the scorekeeper’s desk during the second half of the game previous to yours. Note that the pre-game is only 3 minutes, so right when the game ends you need to be out there shooting. Please hold the balls while a game is in progress. Also, in pre-game, get your scorekeeper ready to go.
a. The home team is the first team listed on schedule and they must bring a volunteer scorekeeper/timer.
b. Pre-game: Stay off of a damp mopped floor. If you have the first game of the day, you must stay off of a damp-mopped floor. Do not shoot around or on the floor that is being damp mopped or was just damp mopped. This is very important to your safety and this rule must be enforced by you, the players. If you see someone about to shoot around on such a floor, please warn this player for his or her own safety.
c. During Pre-game, please hold all basketballs on the sidelines while a game is in progress
d. There will be two 25-minute halves. Games are 50 minutes in length. Tournaments are 2 to 5 minutes shorter per half.
e. In the last minute scramble, a player must foul the player with the ball to get the foul called. In such circumstances, fouls that are too hard may be considered intentional fouls. If you are trying to stop the clock, a good referee should just call a normal foul, but remember ‘should’ is not always what gets called, so play it safe and foul the guy with the ball.
f. Stopped clock defined: The clock stops only during the last 2 minutes of the game if:

If at the two-minute mark, a team is within 7 points or less.

If at any point beyond that the margin happens to get cut down to 3, there will be stop clock play.

If a lead gets up to 10 or more, the game will revert to running time for the rest of the game unless the margin shrinks to within 3 points, at which time the clock once again reverts to stop time.

Restated: If the game margin is 8 points or more at the 2-minute mark, the game will be in “running time” the rest of the game, with one exception. If in “running time” the margin is cut to 3 points, the clock will then go to a permanent “stop time” to finish the game.
g. The first Overtime is 2 minutes long and stopped time. Any additional overtime will be 1 minute long. It is within the official’s discretion to call a game after the first overtime if the official deems it necessary. This will be recorded as a double win (most gyms have time constraints that we must abide by.)
h. Referee note concerning timeouts (this is new!) The timeout rules are complex and players will make mistakes if they are new to the league. Referees are not required to, but can if they would like, stop the clock to clarify whatever rule is controversial at the time. After they have explained the rule and handed the ball to the free throw shooter or out-of-bounds player, the clock resumes. Referees are encouraged to not call technical fouls with regards to timeout violations because these rules are complex.
1. Teams are allowed one timeout per half (40 seconds and no carryover.) Naturally, if the game goes into a stop time format for the final two minutes, a team can call a timeout if they have one available.
2. No additional timeouts will be awarded in overtime.
3. There are no timeouts allowed in the final 2 minutes of the first half.
4. There are no timeouts allowed in the last 2 minutes of the 2nd half if ‘running time’ exists (see stopped clock defined above.)
5. A team that is winning by more than 3 points will not be allowed to call a timeout in the second half when there are 6 minutes or less left on the game clock (a team can call a timeout at 6:01 and get their full 40 seconds but the referees should have the ball inbounds at exactly 5:21 on the clock.)

PUGET SOUND BASKETBALL POLICIES
1. Dunking is allowed only during a game and only if the court has breakaway rims. Dunking while warming up may result in a technical foul. Dunking in games is okay, but sometimes not advisable in a recreational league due to the possibility of getting undercut.
2. No jewelry allowed (including rings.) If you see that an opponent is wearing jewelry, please alert the referee.
3. No tobacco chewing, no smoking, no profanity anywhere in building and outside of most facilities.
4. League suspensions carry over to all leagues and tournaments that PugetSoundBasketball.com runs.
5. A team fight is a league suspension with no refund. Players have a responsibility to control or restrain their own teammates. The key is to step in and help end a bad situation before the league has to suspend or banish players. Your players need to control each other. The referees cannot prevent these situations as well as you could as players/teammates.
6. Players may not take advantage of a blind referee. If, for example, there is only one official, it will be considered unethical to intentionally take advantage of this ‘opportunity’. This is a peaceful and recreational league and we expect cooperation. Any team that develops a reputation for being dirty will be dealt with accordingly.
7. Substitutions must be done on a dead ball only, and by yelling ‘Sub!’ during the dead ball.
8. Players are allowed six fouls. Technical fouls are considered personal fouls. With the assessment of a sixth foul, a player has fouled out and cannot continue playing under any circumstances.
9. If your team is unable to make a game or is short of players, the team must call the director. We will not tolerate any ‘no-shows’ without notice. Bring as many players as possible! At least the opponent will get a game and we will allow you to pick up players to fill your team. There are no forfeits in this league. We will always make a game. Any game scheduled will be played even if the referees have to recruit players for the team. This “make a game,” as we call it, will count as a win or loss and will not be refunded. Games like this are assumed to happen once in a while. You must win to get the win. If necessary to make a game, the league may have a referee play.

Make a Game Situations: If your team has less than 5 players ten minutes after the start time, your team will not be entitled to a ‘make a game’. After that point, it will be too late to get a Make-a-Game because players in the gym, who could have been recruited, will already be gone.
10. If a player is ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, that player must leave the gym on his/her own. If the player does not leave in a timely fashion, he/she may be suspended for the remainder of the season and the team may forfeit the game and face team suspensions for not enforcing the rules with their own players.
11. Conduct rules: Players not able to control their behavior will be ejected from the facility and may face further suspension from the league. This rule applies to spectators as well.
12. Children: CHILDREN UNDER THE AGER OF 18 ARE NOT ALLOWED IN SEATTLE CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE GYM. NO EXCEPTIONS. Due to their short attention span, we ask that all children sit next to parents and be under their supervision at all times. This helps prevent any accidents or interference with games. If the only parent attending is playing, that parent will be responsible to have a friend supervise his/her children during the game. Due to safety concerns, children (or any other spectators) are not allowed to sit on the team bench or at the scorekeeper's table. Referees may remove a parent from the game and require him/her to supervise unruly children. Parents will be financially responsible for any damage caused by their children.
13. Verbal threats will be taken very seriously: Any player, manager, or person connected with the team verbally threatening an official, player or spectator before, during, or after a game, will be ejected from the game and suspended from league play indefinitely.
14. Alcohol and Drug policy:  No player shall appear on the court under the influence of alcohol or drugs in such a manner that they have no control of his/her faculties to the extent that there is a chance of physical injury to him/her or others. Minimum penalty: Ejection from facility and/or suspension from team’s next scheduled game and/or probation for remainder of season.
15. Lost items: Puget Sound Basketball assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen property. Feel free to call us as sometimes we do find some items (206) 632-HOOP.
16. No food or drinks are allowed in gyms or school facilities. No smoking in school facilities.
17. When adding (picking up) players to ‘make a game,’ you must get players that do not ‘tilt’ the game (this is referee/league discretion.)
18. Any player that receives 3 Technical Fouls in two games will receive an automatic one game suspension. Any player ejected from a game twice, or that receives 4 Technical fouls within a 9-game series of games, will receive a suspension for the remainder of the season, or 4 games, whichever is greater.

19. Snow cancellations: You will not be notified of any snow and/or other adverse weather conditions. On questionable days, you need to call the director’s voicemail. That voicemail number is (206)-632-HOOP; it will be updated with any cancellations by 4:15pm on a weekday and throughout the day on a Sunday.

20. Privacy Policy: PSBL will not share contact information with any players or outside agencies.

PAYMENT and REGISTRATION POLICIES
1. Teams are responsible for recruiting only recreational players and peaceful individuals. If a team cannot control an individual, the team will be penalized for bringing that player. If you pick up a player to make a game happen, you are responsible for that player.
2. At your first game, besides paying your balance to the Lead Official, you must turn in completed liability release forms. Captains: Keep extra release forms in case you add new team members. Remember to include email addresses on these player release forms.
3. Registration requires that a team have 3 contact people. ‘Contact people’ refers to someone on the team with an email address. The league will not be held responsible if a team does not receive a schedule change or an important notice if that team does not provide at least three working email contacts. Teams need to check their emails on game day. If any changes occur after 8am on a game day, we will phone you as well, but otherwise we only email (we also put it on the web site.) If the league does not have 3 contacts and a team does not get a schedule change notice, the league will not owe a game to that team. We cannot run these leagues at a competitive price if we do not adhere to the registration and payment rules exactly as outlined. Provide three email addresses.
4. A player is eligible if they have read the rules and signed the release form. After Game 5 in a league, no new player can participate if that player’s skill level is such that he is deemed a ‘ringer’. If a player is talented at more than 2 levels better than the level in which he is participating, he may be asked to leave the game by the referee or the league director. In tournaments, no new players may participate after Game 2. You cannot have someone join your team in game 3 of a tournament.

5. Limit of 9 players: Teams are limited to 9 players maximum (any more results in no flow on the court, injuries because guys are not warm coming in, and too many fouls by stiff or hyper players. Games have better flows when 6 or 7 guys compose the roster. If your team is over 30 you can have 10 players. If you have a Masters Level team (40 and up,) you can have up to 12 players on your roster. Please do not have more than 10 show up for any given game. Team captains assume responsibility and cannot bring into the league angry or violent people. The league is not responsible to filter out players that do not meet our recreational requirements. If a team brings a person into the league with an anger problem, the team is risking their own status in the league.

6. Cost: The cost for each season varies. See front page of website for exact pricing or call PSBL at 206.632.HOOP (4667). Credit card numbers are due to officially register a team. The balance is due at Game 2. Due to time constraints, the team captain will need to cover his/her players. The league cannot float any team any credit. Credit card payments will be accepted. Note: A service charge of $18 will be charged to any team that has not paid in full by the end of their third game (except confirmed sponsored teams.) An additional fee of $10 per week will be charged until a team has paid in full. A $20 service charge will be charged for any checks or credit cards that do not clear.

There is a $5 processing fee for credit card payments from $1 - $100.

There is a $10 processing fee for credit card payments from $101 - $300.

There is a $15 processing fee for credit card payments from $301 - $500.

There is an $18 processing fee for payments from $501 and above.

Exempt from this charge is a confirmed sponsored team. The league reserves the right to suspend a team’s schedule at any time if payment is lacking.

7. The League reserves the right to charge Team Captains or Individual’s Credit Cards without further notice the 2nd week of the Session if the balance is not paid in full.

8. Individuals: Individuals can be placed on a league team (8 players maximum per team) for $75-$82 per session. Payment must be made at least 7 full days in advance of that session (sooner if possible.) Players may join an additional team on a second day of their choosing and receive a $10 discount.

9. Teams that withdraw in the middle of a season will receive a refund of $40 for any game remaining in that team's season; however, teams must give 14-days notice. Any games left within that first 14 days will not be refunded.
10. Puget Sound Basketball League, Puget Sound Basketball Leagues Inc., Puget Sound Basketball Inc., PSBL, and PSBL Inc. have no provision for accident insurance for players or spectators, nor will any of these entities assume any responsibility for accident or injury in conjunction with the Puget Sound Basketball League managed games for officials, player and spectators. Participants in league games are required to execute a LIABILITY RELEASE that provides detail as to the risks assumed and liabilities released to allow for participation.
11. Team captains are responsible for bringing: first aid kit, cold or ice packs, athletic tape, and spare jerseys to games.

12. Captain's Discount: Captains that register more than one team during the same session are entitled to a $50 discount. This discount will only apply as long as payment is received in full for both teams the first week of the session.

13. "Flake Out" Fee: PSBL will charge a $140 "flake out" fee for any team that quits the league mid session or within 24 hours of their first game.

14. Fees/Credits for adding a PSBL "Individual Player" to a "Team": "Teams" that request and receive players from PSBL's "Individual program" will subtract those "Individual" players league fees from their team fees - $15 per player added to the roster for the first session "trial period". Why the $15 charge?: PSBL is taking on the responsibility of contacting the player, billing the player, and REMOVING the player(severing the relationship so the capt doesn't have to) if it is not a good fit after 1 session. Additionally, PSBL will only add an "Individual" player to a team if it consists of 7 players or less. PSBL will not allow an "Individual" to be the 9th player on a "Team".

Example: Team A adds 1 PSBL Individual player. Individual player fees are $75. Teams fees are $500. Team A receives $60 towards their league fees.

15. "Individual" Players vs. a "Team": A "Team" is only allowed to request up to 2-3 "Individuals". A "Team" that requests more that 2-3 "Individuals" is NOT considered a "Team", but a group of "Individuals" that want to play together. PSBL can always put "Individuals" on the same team, but each "Individual" will be charged PSBL's normal  "Individual" fees.

16. Teams adding an "Individual Player" after the 1 session "trial period"/ Mutual acceptance: Teams that want to keep the PSBL placed "Individual player" after 1 session will work directly with the individual as they are now officially part of the "Team" as long as there is a mutual acceptance by the "Team" and the "Individual". At this time the captain becomes responsible for 100% the players payment and the entire portion will go towards the "Teams" league fees.

Note: The Individual has the right to reject playing for the "Team" it was placed on in the "2nd session/post trial period" whereas the "Individual" would go back into the PSBL "Individual" pool of players. PSBL will act as the "go-between" between the "Team" and the "Individual" in these cases

STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL RULES: THINGS PUGET SOUND BASKETBALL EMPHASIZES
1. This league is based on National Federation of High Schools rules
2. On screens and picks: A player must go around.  Running through a pick is a foul.
3. There are 3 criteria you must meet to get a foul:
a. Illegal position
b. Contact
c. Disadvantage: Disadvantage is in the rules. The above mentioned illegal position and contact has to create a disadvantage in order for a foul to be called. Many players and even referees do not know that this is required. Some referees describe such a no-call as ‘letting them play through,’ but that would be an incorrect description. Not calling illegal position and contact as a foul if it does not affect the play is very solid officiating. It is not ‘letting them play,’ but rather it is a correct no-call.
4. Legal position defined: Keeping your shoulders square with your opponent (facing your opponent) is good defensive position if you obtained the spot on the floor before your opponent’s final step/move to that spot. RESTATED: If you are square with your opponent before his final step or move to the hoop, and there is contact, it can be legal contact. TEST: You can be square and set before the contact is made, but you can be deemed to have committed the foul…how? ANSWER: The defensive player must be square (in front of) his/her opponent before the offensive player’s final step to their move or shot. Restated: Being set is not the only key, the bigger key to legal defense is obtaining the spot on the floor before your opponent’s final step/commitment to that spot on the floor.
5. Legal position defined in regards to the ‘rule of verticality’: A defensive player is entitled to the area directly above himself if he got to that space on the floor before the offensive player’s final step/move towards that space. If a defensive player leans or jumps into an offensive player’s legally obtained area or path, he is in an illegal defensive position, and with the combination of contact and disadvantage, the defender may be called for a foul. Conversely, good defensive position should be rewarded. If a defender jumps to block a shot and the defender lands pretty close to where he/she left the floor, this may prove that he/she did indeed go straight up. Assuming the defender in this case was also in front and on time, this defender might get the ‘no call’ on all contact because he/she owns everything to the ceiling and behind themselves.
6. Legal position defined in regards to moving backwards: A defensive player who got there first is entitled to the area directly behind them and is allowed to back-peddle. The contact that occurs with a legally set defender can be a no-call or charge. The contact with a back-peddling (legally positioned) player can also be a no-call or charge, but it is typically just a no-call.
7. Note for offensive players about drawing fouls: An offensive player must try to avoid a defensive player who has obtained good legal position. An offensive player who leans or jumps into a defensive player with legal guarding position will result in at least a 'no-call' and perhaps an offensive foul.
If an offensive player jumps into a player who was late getting there, or in an illegal position, the call can be called either way. The best call is a no-call because the offensive player is not necessarily initiating his move to score, but rather initiating contact hoping to get fouled.
a. If an offensive player sees a player who is going to be late getting position or in an illegal position, the offensive player may initiate the offensive move in that defender’s path and the offensive player can get the foul called. The difference in this example (b) is that the offensive player is initiating his move to score, not just trying to get fouled (if the offensive player is smart enough to see bad defense and time his shot or move accordingly, referees should not take this away from the offensive player. Karl Malone used to do this all the time and people thought he was getting favoritism, but in reality he was catching slow, out of shape power forwards a step behind and he used to initiate his move to score based on seeing them a step behind. A smart defender will adjust to this type of player by being in front BEFORE that player’s final step is made on the shot or drive.
8. The hand is considered part of the ball when connected to the ball.

9. To get over the back calls you must have obtained position and be fouled. It is legal to reach cleanly over a player’s back, however, it is very difficult to reach over the back without bumping the interior rebounder’s lumbar region of his/her back. The best referees will watch for these ‘body’ fouls. Players can fool weaker referees as they disguise this ‘walking/pressuring into the back’ by holding their arms straight up (like a magician distracting the crowd) and claiming they went straight up.

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Each Session will have Division Champions and a Best of the Best Tournament.

To qualify as a Division Champion:

Teams must go 9-0 or 8-1 through their first 8 games.

At that point, your team’s last game becomes a “Championship Game.”