Payment, Policies & Rules

High school rules with the exception of the following:

Clock:

3rd-8th Grade & 8th-9th Girls - 16-minute halves

9th-11th Grade Boys and Girls - 16-minute halves.

(Coaches: If at any time we fall behind schedule, we may adjust the clock rules)

Fouls- 7 team fouls per half = 1&1                       10 team fouls per half = 2 shots

Clock will stop only for shooting fouls (upon announcement by the officials), time-outs and the last TWO minutes of each half. Each team will get 5-timeouts per GAME (no carry overs). Overtime will be 2 minutes, with the clock stopping the last minute. Each team will be given only 1 timeout during overtime. 

Clock will not stop at all if a team has a 25 point lead or greater!!!!

Tie Breakers: (If teams are tied after pool play or round robin play)

- 1st tie breaker is head-to-head play

- 2nd is point differential (if three or more teams are tied with the same record or teams have not played head to head, maximum of 15 points per game)

- 3rd is defensive points

- 4th is offensive points

- 5th is a coin flip

Game Ball Requirements:

- 5th grade and under boys will use a 28.5 ball

- 6th Grade and up will use a 29.5 ball

Additional Rules:

- ALL teams are required to have matching uniforms. Any player uniform NOT following the same color, style or lettering font as the other player's uniforms, will not be acceptable. Any player NOT following this rule will not be able to play in the tournament.

- Pool play will determine where you play for bracket play, not Panhandle Basketball. It is not the responsibility of Panhandle Basketball to change the schedule because you have multiple teams or coach multiple teams! There is a possibility that your teams may not play at the same venue and/or may play at the same time. It's your responsibility to make sure they are able to play!

- Home Teams (team listed first) Panhandle Basketball will provide the bookkeeper. Only under certain circumstances, the home team may be responsible for keeping the Official Book and a Panhandle Basketball Official will let you, beforehand. 

- The No Press Rule applies if a team has a 20 point lead. First offense for not following this rule is a warning, a team's second offense will result in receiving a technical. (Applies to all ages except High School)

Player Protest:

- A protest done prior to the game in question, will cost the normal fee of $100. A protest done after the game in question will cost a fee of $350.

* Once the fee is paid, the player verification process will begin and will be handled solely by the tournament director, or a staff member appointed by the tournament director. Coaches, spectators and players from opposing teams are not allowed to approach any player, coach or parent to discuss player eligibility! Doing so, may result in immediate removal from the tournament! The tournament director will have the final say. If the protest is won, $200 will be returned and the player(s) will be disqualified. All games played up to that point will be forfeited (see above rule). If the protest is lost, the $200 protest fee will be forfeited.

Roster:

All players participating in the event must be on the team's roster. As long as the player is one the roster, a player is eligible to play at any time during the event (Provided they fit the age verification for that division). A player may play on multiple teams as long as they meet the age division requirements. A player may not play on multiple teams in the same division and may not exceed 5 games in one day. 

Rosters must be submitted before the event starts. There are three ways to submit a roster.

1. National Sports ID (Which all teams should have)

2. Turn in a physical copy or an online copy before the event starts.

3. If neither 1 or 2 is not done, the roster will be the players entered on the 1st game's score sheet. 

Eligibility Rules

See AAU Grade Eligibility Rules

In Addition, seniors graduating the current year, may only participate until July 1st of the current year. Any player who has graduated high school more than 1 month, is not eligible to compete in Panhandle Basketball events regardless of age.

Teams caught breaking these eligibility rules are subject to being banned from Panhandle Basketball events!

Conduct:

- Poor behavior and poor sportsmanship will NOT be tolerated! We expect COACHES, PLAYERS and SPECTATORS to be on their best behavior! We have put in place a ZERO tolerance altercation policy! Any teams, coaches or spectators who get in an altercation, whether it be on the court or on our property, will be removed from the event! This includes BOTH TEAMS and any party involved. After you or your team is removed from the event, we will evaluate the situation and possibly ban any team(s), coach(s) or player(s) for the remainder of the year, possibly longer! At the minimum, you/your team will be removed from the event, no matter who is at fault!

- Each coach participating in this tournament will set an acceptable example for the athletes. The tournament policy is set to prohibit any behavior that might be detrimental to any phase of the event or to the athlete(s). The use of vulgarity or profane language is expressly forbidden, as well as the use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco are not allowed anywhere on the property, this will result in immediate ejection. Immoral behaviors will not be tolerated. Any individual guilty of violating this policy during any time of the tournament - arrival time to departure time - will be ejected from the premises. In the case of any disrespectful behavior towards the officials, the player/team will be given a warning. If the disrespectful behavior continues, the player will be given a technical foul and/or ejected and/or dismissed from the tournament. All Teams are expected to respect the organizing committee's efforts in organizing the basketball tournament.

- Obey the referee’s decision even if it's a "bad" call, nobody is perfect.

Examples of Poor Sportsmanship include, but are not limited to:

- Vulgarity and or Profanity

- Disrespecting Tournament Officials

- Disobeying Coaches and Game Officials

- Unnecessary Roughness

- Disrespecting, profanity towards, touching or threatening referees

- Any other action seen by officials, coaches, or parents that is in bad taste or a danger to other players

The Tournament Director reserves the right to the final decision pertaining to any action committed by a player, coach or fan. The Director reserves the right to change/modify any of the rules and regulations when, in the Director's opinion, is in the best interests of the players without regard to the coach or the fans.

Panhandle Basketball is not responsible for any injuries or any stolen items.

I have received a copy of the tournament rules and regulations. I have read the tournament rules and regulations and agree to abide by those rules.

I understand and agree that Panhandle Basketball, or any of it's staff, is not responsible for any injuries or stolen items.

Team Name: ___________________________________________ 

Division:  ___________________________________________

Head Coach Signature: __________________________________

Date:  ________________________________________________