Rules & Regulations

The SBA 3×3 Internal League is overseen and managed by SBA coaches. Unless stated otherwise on this page, all play follows the FIBA Official Basketball Rules. Modifications below exist for the development of youth sport, in line with best practice locally and internationally. When FIBA amends a rule, the league adopts it.

Age groups & divisions

Age groups are determined by year of birth and reviewed at the start of each calendar year.

• U7 — born 2019 or after
• U8 — born 2018 or after
• U10 — born 2016 or after
• U12 — born 2014 or after

Game times & venue

Matches are played exclusively on Tuesdays, 6:30–8:00 PM. All scheduled games are final and may not be moved.

Division format

• Each division consists of up to 8 teams.
• Each team plays a round-robin schedule.
• Top teams advance to Semi-Finals and Finals (knockout).

Points system

Tiebreakers (in order)

1. Head-to-head record
2. Overall season point differential
3. Point differential in games between tied teams

• Once a player has played a game for a team, they may not transfer to another team for the rest of the season.
• Maximum 3 players on court; maximum 4 on the roster.
• Minimum 3 players required for a game to begin.
• If available players fall below 2 during a game, play stops and the win is awarded to the opposing team.

Substitutions

• First half — no substitutions allowed.
• Second half — substitutions permitted; no “super sub” strategy.
• Injury exception — a player injured in the 1st half may rejoin in the 2nd half.

Playoff eligibility

• 15 minutes per game
• 2 × 6-min halves
• 1-min half-time break
• Overtime (placings / SF / F only): 2 min
• No shot clock
• No 3-point line — every basket is 2 points

Clock

• Runs continuously throughout the game.
• Stops only during the final 1 minute of the 2nd half.
• Semi-Finals & Finals: clock stops only in the final 1 minute.

Fouls & free throws

• Each foul → 2 free throws.
• Team fouls are tracked.
• Once a team reaches 3 team fouls, every subsequent foul → 2 bonus free throws.
• Personal fouls are not counted.

Violations

• No backcourt violation.
• No delay of game — every possession must involve an active attempt to score.

U7 “No Grab” rule

Defensive players are not allowed to grab the ball from another player’s hands. Defenders may steal passes in the air or the ball during a dribble — but not from a hold.

Ball size

Size 5 for U7, U8, U10 and U12. Leather or synthetic leather only — no rubber balls.

Team uniforms

• All players in the same colour uniform.
• Numbers 00–99, clearly displayed front and back.
• Shorts without pockets.

Players unable to meet uniform requirements may be prohibited from taking the court.

Shortened free throws

• U7 / U8 — approximately 10 feet from the backboard.
• U10 / U12 — approximately 14 feet from the backboard.

Zone defence

Zone defence is not allowed in any game. Man-to-man only. Trapping defence is not permitted.

Half-court defence

• All teams must retreat behind the halfway line on any inbound.
• Defenders may not cross the half-court line until the ball has crossed it.
• Full-court defence is permitted during live play.
• During the final 1 minute (stop-clock), both teams may play full-court man-to-man only.

The league reserves the right to enforce a penalty for any infringement — within a game, prior to a game, or after — based on the severity of the infraction.

Example escalation

• First offence: warning.
• Second offence: penalty — may include loss of game points or suspension of teams or individuals.