E. Coaches are not to encourage nor allow their teams to "run up" the score against an opponent. A win by a greater margin than 12 points in the 3^rd and 4^th grade divisions, and 20 points in all other divisions is deemed excessive. Tactics such as player substitution, as permitted under the minimum/maximum playing time restrictions of the league, as well as rotation of ball handling responsibilities should be used to keep the score differences within the acceptable range. It may become necessary to instruct a player to pass instead of shoot, or to remove the best player from the game.

F. Coaches and players who are not currently in the game are required to remain seated on the bench at all times. Outbursts of anger or vulgarity directed at the officials, players, coaches or others will not be tolerated. Such occurrences will result in technical fouls being assessed against the coach/team (refer to Technical Fouls section of Playing Rules). Only players and coaches (2 per team) are allowed on the bench; spectators must sit in the stands.

G. Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their teams’ fans and parents. Fans and parents who become abusive or disorderly will be asked by the officials and coaches to leave the gym.

H. Coaches are expected to work closely with the Division Reps and the Board in quickly resolving problems which arise and providing feedback on ways to improve the program for the following year. Coaches and parents are encouraged to join the Board to assist in developing and administering future RPB activities.

I. Coaches have the responsibility of providing each parent with a complete season game and practice schedule. Coaches must also keep parents informed of all changes in the schedule.

J. Coaches and parents are to make all necessary arrangements to ensure that players will be promptly picked up after practices and games.

K. Coaches will be required to evaluate each of their own players toward the end of the season. The league will provide a standard form on which generalized skill and attitude information should be recorded by the coaching staff. This information is critical to help form next season's teams. All player evaluation forms must be turned in to the appropriate Division Rep before the team will be permitted to compete in the final tournament.

All teams will be formed by RPB based upon a "rated by skill level" procedure. The goal is to provide each team with an array of variously skilled players. No team will have more than eight (8) players nor fewer than five (5). Team rosters will be formed at each division's designated draft meeting. Any player movement between teams must take place at this meeting and can only be completed with the consent of the coaches involved and the RPB Draft Coordinator.

All players registering for the league after the designated closing of registration may be placed on a waiting list for possible inclusion on a team as openings become available. New replacement participants must be rated according to skill level by the Try-Out Coordinator and will only be placed on teams where their playing capabilities can be fairly utilized.

No new players will be added to a team after February 1, unless the team has only the minimum number of players remaining.

For a player to be "officially" dropped from a team, the player's coach must contact his/her Division Rep who will then contact the player's parents to determine or reaffirm the reason(s) for the player leaving the team. Open slots will only be filled from the league's waiting list.

It is the responsibility of each coach to keep his/her Division Rep informed as to the status of the team's membership so that all teams can be maintained at full strength, thus allowing for maximum participation.

League games will begin on the first Saturday in January and end by the last Sunday in February, with each team playing ten (10) games (with the exception of 3^rd grade Boys Division and 3^rd- 4^th grade Girls Division.)

Tournament games will begin on the first Saturday in March and end with championship games being played on the third Saturday in March.

Third grade boys and 3^rd- 4^th grade girls divisions will have their league schedules extended by one game instead of playing a season-ending tournament.

The season schedule is subject to change based on availability of facilities.

A. Participation awards will be given to all players in the 3^rd grade boys division and 3^rd- 4^th grade girls division.

B. In all other divisions trophies will be awarded only in tournament play. The number of trophies will be based on the number of teams in each respective division.

PLAYING RULES AND PROCEDURES

RPB shall be governed under the Official High School Basketball Rules published by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Exceptions to these playing rules will be made by the Board of Directors for respective divisions as outlined in the RPB Coaches Manual.

Only two (2) coaches per team will be allowed on the bench. It is the coaches’ and referees’ responsibility to keep all other adults and children away from the sideline of the team's bench.

Each coach shall provide a parent to serve as the scorekeeper or timekeeper for each game. Both of these individuals must sit at the official's sideline table during the game. Both coaches must agree on the selection of scorekeepers prior to the start of the game.

Both score- and timekeepers must maintain proper decorum while fulfilling their respective responsibilities during a game. They are considered part of the officiating team for the game, thus restraint must be shown in "cheering" for either team. Attention must be focused on the correct recording of game activities.

Scorekeeper -- Responsible for accurately recording the following information on the game's official scoresheet - player's name and jersey number, points scored by each player during each quarter of play, number of periods played by each team member, number of personal and team fouls committed, number of time-outs taken and the running score. Note: Each player (not the player's coach) must personally check in with the scorekeeper each time he or she enters the game.

The scorekeeper shall notify each coach when a possible playing time violation is about to occur at the beginning of each period. It is the offending coach's responsibility to adjust his/her line-up to correct the problem.

The scorekeeper shall stop play and notify the game officials and both teams’ coaches when a player has scored the maximum permissible individual points-per-game (3^rd through 6^th grade boys and 3^rd through 5^th grade girls divisions only).

The scorekeeper, following the conclusion of the game, shall have a coach for each team sign the scorebook. By signing the scoresheet, the coaches acknowledge that the scores on the sheet are correct.

Timekeeper -- Responsible for maintaining the game clock which controls the maximum number of playing minutes permitted in each period, as well as changing the ball possession arrow. The timekeeper will also flip the scorecards for both teams to accurately reflect the score throughout the game.

Technical fouls can be assessed against a team by the game's officials for any number of reasons including unsportsmanlike conduct by players and/or coaches, playing time violations as outlined in the rules, excessive use of time-outs, etc. Any technical foul assessed against one team will result in the other team being awarded two (2) free throws and subsequent in-bounding of the ball. Coaches and/or players receiving two or more technical fouls in a game will be automatically ejected from the remainder of the game and further suspended from participating in the next scheduled game. At the discretion of the referees, players may be ejected on the first technical foul for flagrant misconduct. Any team receiving a total of three (3) technical fouls will automatically forfeit the game regardless of the score.

If a game ends after regulation play in a tie score, a maximum of two 3-minute overtime periods can be played. The first "OT" period consists of three (3) full minutes of regular play. If the score remains tied after the first "OT", a second sudden victory period will be played. The first team to score in the second "OT" period is the winner. If neither team scores in the second "OT" period , the game is over and a tie score is recorded, except in tournament play, where sudden victory "OT" periods will be played until one team scores. Each "OT" period begins with a jump ball.

All games for the Boys 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade divisions and Girls 3^rd-4^th and 5^th grade divisions will be played utilizing four 7-minute periods. All games in the remaining divisions will be played utilizing four 8-minute periods. All games will be timed using a "running clock" system, with the clock being stopped only for team time-outs, shooting fouls, any referee designated time-out, and game stoppage for purposes of notification of a player’s having reached his/her scoring maximum (3^rd through 6^th grade boys and 3^rd through 5^th grade girls divisions only). The clock is also stopped at each whistle during the last one (1) minute of regulation play and during all "OT" periods of play.

There will be a one (1) minute break between each period and a three (3) minute break at half-time. Time will be allotted for pre-game warm-up activities. In order to keep the game within the allotted time period, the length of the rest periods may be altered at the discretion of the referees.

A maximum of two (2) time-outs are allotted per half for each team which may be used only during the respective halves. Each team will be allotted one (1) time-out for each overtime period played. Unused time-outs cannot be carried over into the second half or into overtime periods. A technical foul will be assessed against a team which calls for a time-out when it has none available. The referee may call an official's time-out to attend to an injured player, retrieve a stray ball or review problems associated with the scorebook, clock, etc. An official's time-out is not charged to either team.

A substitution in mid-period which results in a partial period played and a partial period sat out will not count toward required playing time or the one full period which a player must sit out. MOST PLAYING TIME VIOLATIONS ARISE WHEN SUBSTITUTIONS ARE MADE MID-PERIOD.

If a playing time violation occurs during a game, a technical foul will be assessed against the offending team. "During a game" is defined as any time after the players have taken their positions on the court and the ball has been thrown into play.

If the violation involves a player with less than two full periods of playing time, that player will be reinstated immediately into the game. If the violation involves a player who has already played in the maximum permissible periods, that player will be immediately removed from the game and replaced by another eligible player chosen by the opposing coach.

Overtime is considered a new period (not an extension of the fourth period), and any eligible player may play.

The scorekeeper shall notify each coach and a referee when a possible playing time violation is about to occur at the beginning of a period. It is the offending coach’s responsibility to adjust his/her line-up to correct the problem.

Playing time violations are to be resolved during the game. They are not considered as acceptable grounds for formally protesting the outcome of the game.

* In the event a player is injured and is deemed unable to continue the game, and the players on the bench have not sat out one full period, the opposing coach may select a substitute player from the other team’s bench to replace the injured player. The injured player may not return to the game.

* Each player must play not less than three full periods, start-to-finish.

* The coach of the team with only 6 players available must notify the scorekeeper, referees and the opposing coach prior to the start of the game. The opposing coach will then have the option of designating which player, of those playing in the first period, will sit out the second period. However, if the opposing coach has only five players available for the game, s/he does not have this option.

* Failure to notify the scorekeeper and the opposing coach will result in a technical foul being assessed, and the opposing coach will have the option of designating which player, of those playing in the first and second periods will sit out the fourth period.

* All players will play the entire game.

* A team must have at least five (5) players in order to start a game except in the Boys 3^rd grade and the Girls 3^rd-4^th grade divisions. However, any team may finish the game with less than five if players have fouled out, become injured or are otherwise unavailable to complete play.

A player who arrives late for a game may have special restrictions on the number of required playing periods as follows:

* A player arriving after the start of a period will not be allowed to play in that period.

* Players arriving before the start of the second period shall play all of their required periods as defined above and are not governed by any special playing time restrictions.

* If a player arrives during the second period of the game, the player must play at least one period and may be allowed to play two periods, at the discretion of the coach.

* A player arriving after the start of the third period, except in the Senior Girls and High School Boys divisions, will not be allowed to play in that game. Players in those two divisions arriving after the start of the second half may, at the sole discretion of their coach, be substituted into the game for any part or all of the remaining provided all playing time requirements for all other players are met.

The three point field goal will be in effect during any game (regular season or tournament) which is played on a court that has a three point line marked.

In the interest of competitive play, no team leading by twelve (12) points or more may pressure the ball in the opponent's back-court area. One warning will be issued for the first offense, and a technical foul will be issued against the coach on the second and subsequent violations.

Protests should be avoided if at all possible. Problems during a game should be resolved between the two coaches and officials at the time they arise. However, any coach may file a protest against another team if a discrepancy cannot be resolved, except as otherwise stated herein.

The following specific sequence of steps must be followed in order to properly file a formal protest.

1. The game officials, if available, should be notified by the coach that a protest will be filed and the reasons for the protest.

2. The protesting coach should not sign the scorebook, rather he/she should include a written statement on the back of the game's official scoresheet that the game is under protest and briefly outline the reasons.

3. The game officials should sign next to the protest statement in the book acknowledging that they have been informed of the matter.

4. The Division Rep should be notified in writing within 24 hours by the protesting coach of the nature of the problem. The Division Rep will investigate the matter thoroughly to ascertain whether an RPB rule has been violated and if the problem can be resolved without further intervention by the Rules Committee.

5. The Division Rep will report his/her findings to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee will handle all unresolved protests. The protest may be withdrawn at any time before formal action is taken in the matter by the Rules Committee.

The Rules Committee shall act upon all protests received. The Rules Committee may convene a special meeting for the purpose of addressing the protest. Reports from both coaches, the Division Rep and game officials may be solicited by the Rules Committee for the purpose of review and clarification. A decision will be rendered by the Rules Committee within an appropriate timeframe. The decision of the Rules Committee on all protest matters is final.

Any Rules Committee member who is directly involved in a protested matter shall be disqualified from participation in deciding the outcome of the protest.

1. The game officials (referees) have the responsibility to ensure that the rules and regulations of basketball, as adopted by RPB, are adhered to in all games. The referees are given complete authority by the Board to make calls and decisions necessary to govern the play of the game. Each referee will sign the official scoresheet after the conclusion of the game. Coaches, players and fans are not to harass the referees in any manner concerning their officiating decisions. Any display of physical gesturing, vulgarity, or other forms of unsportsmanlike conduct directed at officials will result in assessment of a technical foul against the coach. Moreover, the offending player/coach may be required to appear before the Board for subsequent disciplinary action. If questions should arise or clarification of a call is necessary, the referee should be approached politely and with courtesy.

2. When instructions are given to the teams or coaches, a representative from each team should be present.

3. If a coach feels that a complaint or protest concerning a referee decision should be brought to the attention of the Board, he/she will contact the Division Rep concerning the matter. If deemed necessary by the Division Rep the matter will be reported to the Referee Coordinator for investigation.

Each player will shoot one free-throw prior to the start of the game. Each successful free-throw will be recorded in the scorebook and count in the team’s overall score. Referees will administer the free-throws. One referee will be in charge of the visiting team while the other referee will administer the home team. Both teams will shoot the free-throws at the same time, but at different baskets. If one team has fewer players present than the other, the coach of the former will designate one or more players as necessary to shoot an extra shot to balance the total team attempts. Each player so designated must have missed his/her prior attempt(s) unless no such a player exists, in which case the coach may designate any player. In no event will a player who has scored two pre-tip-off free-throws be permitted to attempt another.

Example – Team A has eight players present but Team B has only six. Each player on both teams will attempt one free-throw. The coach of Team B will designate two players who missed their first attempts to try one more free-throw each. If only one of the six players present on Team B missed his/her first attempt, that player would be required to make the next attempt and, if it is missed, the last attempt as well.