Mudsock Boys Youth Basketball Rules – 2025–26

Rules are listed by grade level below. These are created to allow as much equal and fair playing time as possible.
A more detailed, printable set of rules can be found by clicking here.

Kindergarten

• Ball Size: 28.5” | Hoop Height: 8 ft
• 4 x 8-minute quarters | Running clock
• No scorekeeping | No timeouts | No overtime
• Sub at quarter breaks and 4-minute mark
• If a sub is on the bench, you must sub - no player should sit an entire quarter
• Can not call timeout to sub a player in unless an injury has occurred
• Man-to-man defense only | No pressing | No traping | No double-team
• Steals on passes only (not on dribble unless in lane)
• 1 coach per team allowed on court | No referees

1st Grade

• Ball size: 28.5" | Hoop height: 8 ft
• 4 x 8-minute quarters | Running clock
• No score kept | No timeouts | No overtime
• Sub at quarter breaks and 4-minute mark
• If a sub is on the bench, you must sub - no player should sit an entire quarter
• Can not call timeout to sub a player in unless an injury has occurred
• Man-to-man defense only | No pressing | No traping | No double-team
• Steals on passes only
• 1 coach per team allowed on court | No referees

2nd Grade

• Ball Size: 28.5” | Hoop Height: 9 ft
• 4 x 8-minute quarters | Running clock
• Score is kept
• 2 timeouts per game | 1 per OT
• Max player points: 8 pts/quarter, 20 pts/game per player
• Sub at 4-minute mark and quarter breaks
• If a sub is on the bench, you must sub - no player should sit an entire quarter
• Can not call timeout to sub a player in unless an injury has occurred
• Man-to-man defense | No pressing | No traping | No double-team
• Steals only allowed on passes or in the lane
• 1 referee | Coaches are not allowed on the court

3rd Grade

• Ball Size: 28.5” | Hoop Height: 10 ft
• 4 x 8-minute quarters | Running clock with stoppages
• Score is kept | 2 timeouts per game | 1 per OT
• No player scoring cap
• Sub at 4-minute mark and quarter breaks
• If a sub is on the bench, you must sub - no player should sit an entire quarter
• Can not call timeout to sub a player in unless an injury has occurred
• Man-to-man only | No pressing

4th Grade

• Ball Size: 28.5” | Hoop Height: 10 ft
• 4 x 6-minute quarters | Standard clock
• Score is kept | 2 timeouts per game | 1 per OT
• Sub at 3-minute mark and quarter breaks
• If a sub is on the bench, you must sub - no player should sit an entire quarter
• Can not call timeout to sub a player in unless an injury has occurred
• Man-to-man defense only
• Trapping defense: WEST conference - No defensive traps; EAST conference – allowed to trap during last 2 minutes of 2nd and 4th quarters.
• Pressing defense: WEST conference - No press defense; EAST conference: Pressing allowed last 2 minutes of 2nd & 4th quarters (only if score is within 10 points)
  
• 2 referees

5th Grade

• Ball Size: 28.5” | Hoop Height: 10 ft
• 4 x 6-minute quarters | Standard clock
• Score kept | 3 timeouts (2 full, 1 thirty-second)
• Running clock if lead ≥ 20 in 2nd half
• Substitutions at any clock stoppage
• Full-court press allowed unless leading by 20+
• All defenses allowed | Steals on dribble/pass
• Equal playing time expected including tournament
• 2 referees

6th Grade

• Ball Size: 28.5” | Hoop Height: 10 ft
• 4 x 7-minute quarters | Standard clock
• Score kept | 3 timeouts (2 full, 1 thirty-second)
• Running clock if lead ≥ 20 in 2nd half
• Substitutions at any clock stoppage
• All defenses allowed | Full-court press allowed unless leading by 20+
• Steals allowed on dribble and pass
• Equal playing time expected including tournament
• 2 referees

Jr. High (7th–8th Grade)

• Ball Size: 29.5” | Hoop Height: 10 ft
• 4 x 7-minute quarters | Standard clock
• Score kept | 3 timeouts (2 full, 1 thirty-second)
• Running clock if lead ≥ 20 in 2nd half
• Substitutions at any dead ball
• All defenses allowed | Full-court press unless leading by 20+
• Traps, zones, steals all permitted
• Equal playing time encouraged
• 2 referees