League Rules

• Clock
  • All games will consist of two 18 minute halves.
  • All games will be running clock. The clock will stop the last two minutes of the game. If the score is 10 points or greater, clock will not stop. No clock stoppage for the first half.
• Overtime Periods
  • 1st overtime is 2 minutes with clock stoppage during the last minute only. Each team is awarded 1 timeout.
  • 2nd overtime is 2 minutes with clock stoppage during the last minute only. No timeouts are awarded.
  • 3rd overtime is sudden death. In playoffs, there is no sudden death rule. We will continue as above.
• Fouls
  • Bonus is awarded at 8 team fouls. Teams will shoot one and one for the remainder of halves and overtimes. No double bonus awarded.
  • Individual players foul out after their 5th personal foul.
  • Teams that have a player foul out and only have 5 players may choose to keep player in game or play with 4 players. Choosing to keep a player in game will result in an immediate technical foul, and each subsequent foul on that player will also be a technical foul. The decision to keep the player in game or remove them must be made at time of 5th personal foul and cannot be changed later in the game.
• Timeouts
  • Each team will receive 3 full timeouts per game.
  • Unused timeouts DO NOT carry into overtime periods.
• Team Responsibilities
  • The home team listed on the schedule is responsible for providing the game ball.
  • All boys’ divisions 5th grade and up will use the full 29.5 regulation ball. The 4th grade division and girls’ divisions will use the 28.5 regulation ball.
  • The home team listed must wear light colored uniform tops and the away team must wear dark colored uniform tops.
  • Only 1 coach can stand at a time per team and must stay in the designated coaching box.
  • The referees are instructed to strictly enforce this rule.
  • Teams must have at least 4 players to start the game or the game will be forfeited.
  • All players MUST have separate numbered jerseys. In case there is a duplicate, it must be reported to game officials, scorekeepers, and opposing coaches prior to the start of the game.
• Sportsmanship
  • Game officials have the authority to eject players and coaches for poor sportsmanship at their discretion. All ejections are reviewed by head referee and tournament/league director.
  • The game is not officially over until teams and their respective coaches have left the court and their benches. Players, coaches, and spectators are responsible for their post game actions.
  • Coaches are responsible for controlling team spectators and fans. Referees and league officials have the authority to ask spectators to leave for unsportsmanlike conduct. Teams can receive technical fouls for the actions of their coaches, players, and spectators.
  • If a coach, player or spectator is ejected from game, the league administrators reserve the right to be able to suspend the ejected coach, player, or spectator for additional games. The suspended person is NOT allowed to be on property for suspended game.
• Press Rules (League Play Only)
  • Beginning in Winter 2023, the Thrive League will be adding press rules to the lowest level of play per division, acknowledged as ‘D leagues’.
  • Press Rule: No pressing (over half court) is allowed until the last quarter of the game (usually 9 minutes remaining in 2nd half). Pressing is never permitted if the score spread is 20 points or larger. Pressing is allowed with a spread of 19 points or fewer.
• Challenges
  • An opposing head coach can submit a challenge of a player’s grade or age exception with a $100.00 deposit. The protest must come from the head coach or the one assistant coach who is allowed on the bench per team.
  • A protest of a player’s age or grade must be submitted before the game starts, or before the 10 minute mark of the second half.
  • If a coach wins a challenge, their deposit will be returned. If a coach loses the challenge Thrive SD will keep their deposit.
  • Challenges coming from any party other than the head coach will not be considered.
• Playoff Seeding/Tie Breakers
  • In the event of a two way tie, the tie will be determined by head to head outcome between teams.
  • In the event of a three-way (or more) tie, the tie will be determined by point differential with a maximum of +/- of 15 points in any one game.
  • If point differential does not break the tie between any of the teams, then the tie between remaining teams only will be determined by least points allowed against teams involved in the tie only.
  • For any game that results in a forfeit, the score will be inputted as 15-0.
• Jewelry
  • Jewelry including earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, nose piercings, etc. are not permitted. If you have a player with any of these in or tape covering any of the previously mentioned they will not be allowed to play. Playing with any kind of jewelry is not only a risk to your athlete(s) but to their opponents as well.
• Other
  • All other rules, not specifically mentioned herein, will be in accordance with CIF high school basketball rules.

Certification/Eligibility

• All coaches must check in at the door before their game. Only 2 coaches are allowed per team. A program director may also be included as an additional coach.
• All players must be on the roster at the team certification before their first game. Players cannot be added after certification. If a player is going to miss the team’s first game, they still must be listed on the roster and certified with correct paperwork.
• If a player is seeking an age exception, a hard copy birth certificate must be present.
• All teams are required to have a copy of each player’s birth certificate as well as photo ID with them for ALL GAMES. If a challenge is filed, they will be required to provide copies of both the certificate and photo ID to clear the players to play.
• If proper documentation is not obtained before the game, the player in question will not be allowed to participate until they are cleared with both ID and birth certificate by Thrive SD staff.
• A player MUST at least play in one of the first four games to be eligible to play in the remainder of the season and playoffs.
• If a team does not follow the certification process they may be removed without a
• refund.
• Players are not allowed to play for multiple teams at the same grade/age level in the same division. Players may play for multiple teams as long as they are NOT in the same grade/age level
  • Abuse of this rule will result in player disqualification, forfeits, playoffs disqualification, or suspension from the league.

Player Classification

• 8u/2nd Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 8 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2016 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/16 BUT is in the 2nd grade, that player is eligible for 8u as an exception.
• 9u/3rd Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 9 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2015 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/15 BUT is in the 3rd grade, that player is eligible for 9u as an exception.
• 10u/4th Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 10 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2014 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/14 BUT is in the 4th grade, that player is eligible for 10u as an exception.
• 11u/5th Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 11 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2013 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/13 BUT is in the 5th grade, thatplayer is eligible for 11u as an exception.
• 12u/6th Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 12 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2012 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/12 BUT is in the 6th grade, that player is eligible for 12u as an exception.
• 13u/7th Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 13 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2011 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/11 BUT is in the 7th grade, that player is eligible for 13u as an exception.
• 14u/8th Grade
  • An athlete can be no older than 14 on August 31, 2025
    • Birthday Range: September 1, 2010 – Present
    • If a player was born before 9/1/10 BUT is in the 7th grade, that player is eligible for 14u as an exception.