Adult Basketball League Rules

2025-2026 Men's Unlimited and 30 & Over 

Basketball Leagues Rules

 

All leagues are governed by the Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks Guidelines and Reference Manual.
 

**Team Captains/Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players, and are responsible for all players knowing the rules and regulations of this adult league***

  1. LEAGUE RULES: All leagues will be played by NCAA rules with the following exceptions.
  2. REFEREE FEES: Each team must pay the referees $44 per game.

  3. GENERAL LEAGUE INFORMATION:

    a.  All players must have the same color shirts with 8” numbers on the back of each jersey. Referees will have the final decision on whether a player’s jersey fits the criteria.

    b.  TEAM ROSTERS:   All Team Rosters are limited to 15 players per team. Team Rosters must be typed using the online roster and signed by each player for them to be eligible to participate. Team Rosters are to be turned in before the first game. Players can be added through the first six games.

    c.  A team consists of 5 players, but teams may start with only 4 players. A team must have 4 players on the court at all times. Exception: Three players are allowed if a player cannot continue due to an injury or he/she has fouled out of the game.

    d.  CANCELLING / RESCHEDULING GAMES:  Any team that needs to reschedule/forfeit a game must do so by written request to the office 5 days before the scheduled game. If fewer than 5 days, then the coach must have the other team’s agreement to reschedule, or the game will be a forfeit. No games will be rescheduled on the day of the scheduled game and will be considered a forfeit. ANY TEAM that forfeits a game the day of the schedule or no shows at the game location will be responsible for the referee’s fees for both teams.

    e.  There will be a 15 MINUTE GRACE PERIOD for the first game of the day/night. After the 15 minutes, the game will be declared a forfeit. Forfeit time for all other games is the scheduled game time.

    1.  The forfeiting team must pay both officials' fees to the office before that team will be allowed to play their next game.
    2.   A team that forfeits two games is subject to disqualification from the league.

    f.  GAME TIME: 20-minute halves with running clock.

    1. Stop clock last 1 minute of 1st half and last 1 minute of 2nd half (Unless 10 pts. or more difference). If teams are tied at the end of regulation, then there will be a 2-minute stop-clock overtime period. Overtime periods will continue until a winner is determined or the 1-hour game time limit is reached. Teams will remain tied at the end of the time limit.
    2. 5 SECOND RULE: In the game, because of the running clock and a shot clock not being used, if a player is closely guarded, they must start dribbling, passing the ball, or attempting a shot within five seconds. Upon violation of this rule, an inbound pass is awarded to the opposing team.

    g.  TEAM TIME OUTS PER GAME:  Each team will be given four (4) time-outs per game. All time-outs will be 30-second time-outs. Each team will have one (1) time-out during overtime(s).

    h.  AGE OF PLAYERS:

    1. Players must be thirty (30) years of age by the last day of the season to participate in the 30 & Over League.
    2. Players must be eighteen (18) years of age by the last day of the season to participate in the Unlimited League.
  4. AACPS SCHOOL CLOSURE and CANCELATIONS:  When schools are closed due to inclement weather or the Anne Arundel County Snow Emergency Plan is in effect one (1) hour prior to the first game, games will be canceled.
  5. DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINARY ISSUES:
    1. The Gym Supervisor will handle on-court disputes.  
    2. Adult Sports Supervisor, Baer Chandler, will handle protests and disciplinary problems.
  6. PROBATIONARY STATUS: UPDATED 3/7/2025  Any team that disrupts a game, at the Sport’s Supervisor’s discretion, will be subject to a 2-week Probationary Period. During the 2-week Probationary Period, if your team gets 2 technical fouls during the game, for ANY reason, the game will be stopped, and the balance of the game will be forfeited/cancelled, and the game will be over. This could result in additional weeks being added to the Probationary Period to include disqualification from the remainder of the season/league.

  7. SUSPENSIONS:

    1. Any player or coach who initiates a physical confrontation with an official will be automatically suspended from ALL County-sponsored sports for a MINIMUM period of two (2) years.  
    2. Players ejected from any game for any reason will be suspended from play for a minimum of two weeks from all leagues.  
    3. Players ejected for fighting will be suspended for a period of time to be determined.

    End of Season Tournament Eligibility:  A player must have played in at least 4 regular-season games to be eligible for tournament play. It is the captain/coach's responsibility to keep players' names and numbers accurate. If a player is wearing a different number than normal, the team captain/coach must notify the scorer’s table before the beginning of the game. In case of a forfeited game, only members of the team awarded the win will receive credit for playing in that game.

  8. STANDINGS / TIE BREAKING PROCEDURES:
    1. All game scores and league standing/s will be posted on the Recreation and Parks website. Your final league placement is determined by the number of teams ahead of you. If two (2) teams are tied for a position, then a position will be removed. (i.e., if you finish behind two (2) teams tied for first place, you are in third place, not second place.  
    2. In the event that a team drops from the league during the regular season, a win will be placed in the standings for the team(s) that were scheduled to play the dropped team.  
    3. If there is a tie (2 teams, 3 teams or more), the following will be the order using tiebreakers:
      1. First Tie Breaker: Head-to-Head win/loss record. (Whichever team won when the teams played each other during the season is the winner).
      2. Second Tie Breaker: Points Differential for all tied teams. Total points scored minus total points allowed. 
      3. Third Tie Breaker: Total Points Allowed during the entire season. 
      4. Fourth Tie Breaker: Winning Percentage over the top 5 teams in the league. 
      5. Coin Flip

Updated 11/19/25

2025-2026 Men's 50 & Over Basketball League Rules


All leagues are governed by the Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks Guidelines and Reference Manual.

 

**Team Captains/Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players, and are responsible for all players knowing the rules and regulations of this adult league**

  1. LEAGUE RULES: All leagues will be played by NCAA rules with the following exceptions.
  2. REFEREE FEES: Each team must pay the referees $44 per game prior to the game starting.
  3. GENERAL LEAGUE INFORMATION:
    1. All players must have the same color shirts with at least an 8” number on the back of all jerseys.  
    2. All players must be 50 years old by the start of the season. See exception.
    3. Exception to Age Requirement: Effective 10/17/23, each team will be allowed to have one (1) 49-year-old player on their team rosters. This player must be 49 years old before the season ends.
    4. A 15 MINUTE GRACE PERIOD will be given for the first game of the day/night. Forfeit time for all other games is the scheduled time. 
    5. The forfeiting team must pay both referees’ fees before the start of their next game. Failure to pay forfeit fees will result in suspension from the league. 
    6. A team that forfeits two (2) games could be suspended or disqualified from the league. 
    7. Game Time will be two 20-minute halves with a running clock.
      1. Stop clock last 1 minute of 1st half and last 1 minute of 2nd half (Unless 10 pts. or more difference). Two-minute stopped clock overtimes.
      2. 5 SECOND RULE: In the game, because of the running clock and a shot clock not being used, if a player is closely guarded, they must start dribbling, passing the ball, or attempting a shot within five seconds. Upon violation of this rule, an inbound pass is awarded to the opposing team.
    8. TIME OUTS PER GAME: Four (4) time-outs per team per game. All timeouts will be 30-second timeouts. 
    9. A team should consist of 5 players, but may start with 4 players. A team must have 4 players on the court at all times. Exception: Three players are allowed if a player cannot continue due to an injury or he/she has fouled out of the game. Each player on the roster must be 50 years old by the last day of the season. 
    10. TEAM ROSTERS: 
      1. Team Rosters are unlimited for the 50 & Over leagues. Teams may add/drop players up until the deadline for adding players. Team Rosters must be typed using the online roster and signed by each player for them to be eligible to participate. 
      2. Must be turned in before your first game. Players can be added through the first six (6) games.
    11. By their regulations, the officials are not allowed to referee games that have been forfeited for a lack of players. 
    12. Substitutions can be made following a made basket. Players must be at the score table.
    13. SCHOOLS CLOSED: When schools are closed due to inclement weather or the Anne Arundel County Snow Emergency Plan is in effect one (1) hour before the first game, games will be canceled.
       
  4. DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINARY ISSUES:
    1. The Gym Supervisor will handle on-court disputes.
    2. Sports Supervisor, Baer Chandler, will handle protests and disciplinary problems.
  5. PROBATIONARY STATUS: UPDATED 3/7/2025:  Any team that creates a disruption of a game, at the Sport’s Supervisor’s discretion, will be subject to a 2-week Probationary Period. During the 2-week Probationary Period, if your team gets 2 technical fouls during the game, for ANY reason, the game will be stopped, and the balance of the game will be forfeited/cancelled, and the game will be over. This could result in additional weeks being added to the Probationary Period to include disqualification from the remainder of the season/league.
  6. SUSPENSIONS:
    1. Any player or coach who initiates any type of physical confrontation/contact with an official will be suspended automatically from ALL County-sponsored sports for a MINIMUM period of two (2) years.
    2. Players ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct will be suspended from play for a minimum of two weeks from all leagues.
    3. Players ejected for fighting will be suspended for a period of one (1) year.
  7. STANDINGS/TIE BREAKING PROCEDURES:
    1. All game scores and league standings will be posted on the Recreation and Parks website. Your final league placement is determined by the number of teams ahead of you. If two (2) teams are tied for a position, then a position will be removed. (i.e., if you finish behind two (2) teams tied for first place, you are in third place, not second place.  
    2. In the event that a team drops from the league during the regular season, a win will be placed in the standings for the team(s) that were scheduled to play the dropped team. 
    3. If there is a tie (2 teams, 3 teams, or more), the following will be the order using tiebreakers: 
      1. First Tie Breaker: Head-to-Head win/loss record. (Whichever team won when the teams played each other during the season is the winner).
      2. Second Tie Breaker: Points Differential for all tied teams. Total points scored minus total points allowed.
      3. Third Tie Breaker: Total Points Allowed during the entire season.
      4. Coin Flip

Updated 11/19/25