7th/8th Grade PAL Basketball Rules

Location: Coxsackie-Athens HS or MS gym

General Setup: 

• 7/8 Boys team use regulation ball, 7/8 Girls teams use an intermediate ball (28.5)

• 8 minute quarters running time

• 1 minute between periods, 5 minute halftime

• Stop clock ONLY for foul shots, timeouts, injuries, and during the last 2 minutes of each half.

Points of Emphasis

• Defense: 

  • Hands up defense.  Please emphasize moving feet for defensive position, no reaching in.

  • Teams can play man-to-man or zone, whatever the coach would like to teach.

  • There is no stealing off the dribble, unless the offensive player CLEARLY loses control of the ball on their own and not due to interference from the defensive player.  This will almost always be a judgment call by the official.

  • The ball may be stolen from a player who has picked up their dribble, however referees are advised to pay close attention to contact as this will result in a reach-in foul the majority of the time.  

  • Defense can steal at all times, but particular attention will be paid by the referees for reaching in and making contact with the ball handler.

  • Shots can be blocked.

  • A held ball will result in possession according to the possession arrow.

  • Defense should start at the 3-point line, but can extend outside of it once the ball has crossed half court.  We don’t want the offense to play outside the 3 point line just to avoid the defense.

  • Full court (pressure) defense is allowed during the last 2 minutes of each half.

• Scoring: 3-point goals made will count as 3 points, however emphasize that these shots should not be taken regularly.

• Inbounds:  No full court press, except in the last two of the game. 

  • Once a shot is attempted by Team A, and rebounded or possession is given to Team B, Team A must get back past half court to allow Team B to bring the ball up court.  

• Referees, Fouls/Violations, & Speed of Play: High school players will act as referees for these games.  Coaches, players, and parents must treat these young people with respect and understanding.  

  • Traveling violations:  Referees will be lenient in calling traveling violations to keep the flow of the game going.  However, excessive traveling or carrying the ball should be called and result in possession to the other team, particularly as we progress through the season.

  • Double dribbles should be called.

  • Five (5) second lane violations are enforced.  

  • Ten (10) second back court violations in effect, 

  • Seven (7) second dead ball violation or in-bounds violation.

 Timeouts:  

• Three timeouts per game.  

• If extra timeouts are called, a technical foul will be called against the bench (two free throws and possession of the ball at midcourt).

Overtime:  

• Maximum of two, two (2) minute overtime period.  Game will end in a tie after 2 overtime periods.

• Running time except during the last minute of the period.  (Clock stops on whistle for violations, fouls.)

• Each team allowed one timeout per overtime period – regulation timeouts DO NOT carry over to overtime.

7th/8th Grades Fouls:

• 1 and 1 (bonus) for the 7th through 9th team fouls in each half.

• 2 shots on the 10th and more team fouls in each half.

• 5 fouls on individual players – player sits for 4 minutes.

• 1 Technical foul – player is ejected from the game.  Ex:  unsportsmanlike conduct, slamming/throwing the ball, noticeable swearing, flagrant fouls (ejected from the game with discretion to suspend for the following game up to removal from the program).  This includes parents and coaches.  Please report inappropriate behavior immediately.