A. EVENT ADMINISTRATION

1. Who Can Play

The 2026 PYBL 3v3 Basketball Tournament is open to youth players who are at least 9 years old at the time of the tournament. A player may participate on only one team.

2. Divisions

The tournament will consist of the following male and female divisions:

• Division 10U – No player on a team may be over 10 years old at the time of the tournament.
• Division 12U – No player on a team may be over 12 years old at the time of the tournament.
• Division 14U – No player on a team may be over 14 years old at the time of the tournament.
• Parents Division – The majority of players must have a child associated with PYBL.
• Teams with mixed-age players will be placed in the oldest player’s division.

3. Tournament Format

Teams in each division will play a minimum of 2 randomized games within their division. Once all teams have played at least 2 games, the top two teams will play in a championship game.

Team Seeding Process

If more than 2 teams have the best record after playing the minimum guaranteed games, the teams with the best APS (Average Points Scored) will advance to the championship game.

1. GAME ADMINISTRATION

1. Number of Players

Each team may have up to 4 players total. No more than 3 players from a team may be on the court at any time. All games must start with at least 3 players on each team. A team may finish a game with 1, 2, or 3 players on the court.

2. Game Times

Game schedules will be published prior to the tournament and are subject to change. Teams may contact the tournament director regarding scheduling conflicts or periods of unavailability.

3. Game Score Verification

At the conclusion of each game, a player from each team shall review and sign the official scoresheet to verify the game score and winning team. Failure to complete this process immediately after the game will be considered acknowledgment that the score and winning team have been accurately recorded. Once results are established, the recorded information is not subject to change unless approved in writing by a tournament official.

4. Authorized Equipment & Apparel

No player shall be allowed to wear a guard, cast, hard brace, or other potentially dangerous equipment on the elbow, hand, wrist, finger, or forearm, including equipment made of hard leather, plastic, plaster, or metal, even if covered with soft padding. Soft braces, sleeves, and wraps are allowed unless they pose a danger to other players. Tournament officials retain the right to disallow any equipment, jewelry, hair bands, clips, or apparel judged to be dangerous or inappropriate.

 

PYBL SPORTSMANSHIP POLICY Good sportsmanship and cooperation are expected. The team captain or designated coach, if applicable, is expected to help control the conduct of teammates and team followers and to serve as the team spokesperson in appeals to a basketball referee or tournament official. Poor sportsmanship may result in a Technical, Intentional, or Flagrant foul. Fighting, taunting, intimidating, or verbally attacking a referee, tournament official, player, or spectator may lead to removal of the player, team, and/or spectator from the tournament. Additional suspension will be determined by tournament officials on a case-by-case basis. Those decisions are final and are not subject to review by video, recordings, or other sources.

5. Organizer Authority

Tournament officials have the authority to make decisions on matters not specifically covered in these Rules and Regulations and have sole authority to interpret their intent and purpose. Tournament officials reserve the right to disqualify any player and/or team for violations of tournament rules and policies.

6. Player Injury

A basketball referee or tournament official may suspend play to protect an injured player. A player who is bleeding or has an open wound must leave the game and properly bandage the wound. Bloodstained clothing or bandages must be removed or replaced before the player re-enters. If a player appears to have lost consciousness or is severely injured, that player is responsible for obtaining medical clearance before continuing participation in the tournament.

7. Boundaries

The actual backboard, including its face, top, bottom, and sides, is considered in-bounds. The ball is out-of-bounds when it goes over the backboard or touches the back of the backboard. The basket structure, padding, and structural supports are out-of-bounds.

8. Timeouts

Each team is allowed one 1-minute timeout per game. The clock will stop during a timeout.

9. Basketball Size

The intermediate-size ball will be used in all female divisions and the 10U male division. The full-size ball will be used in all other divisions.

10. Basket Height and 2-Point Arc

The basket height will be 10 feet. The 2-point arc will be 19 feet from the basket unless the court has designated markings otherwise.

11. Free Throw Shooting Distance

The free throw distance will be 15 feet.

 

B. GAME RULES

1. Scoring

Baskets made from inside the 2-point arc count for 1 point. Baskets made from outside the 2-point arc count for 2 points. A player is considered outside the 2-point arc when neither foot is inside nor touching the arc. Each free throw counts for 1 point.

2. Length of Game

The first team to reach 18 points within 18 minutes of play is declared the winner. A team reaching 18 points does not need a winning margin of 2 points or greater. If neither team reaches 18 points within 18 minutes, the team with the most points wins. The game clock stops during team timeouts and when a referee or tournament official stops play for a player injury or other unusual circumstance.  If neither team has scored 18 points after 18 minutes, and the score is tied, the game will enter an overtime period described in Section 3.

3. Overtime

If a game is tied at the end of regulation, overtime is played. There is no coin toss to start overtime. The team that lost the opening coin toss—or the team that won the toss but deferred possession—receives the ball first. The first team to score 2 points in overtime wins.

4. Which Team Receives the Ball First?

A coin toss prior to each game determines which team gets the ball first. The team that wins the coin toss may receive the ball first or defer possession in order to receive the ball first if the game goes to overtime.

5. Checked Ball

A “check ball” is required to resume play at the beginning of each game and following any scoring play or free-throw sequence.  The offensive player must bring the ball to the designated Check Ball Area, located approximately 6 feet outside the top of the 2-point arc and centered with the basket, and establish possession before the ball is checked. The offensive player must pass or otherwise present the ball to an opposing player at the Check Ball Area. The opposing player must return the ball to the offensive player to complete the check. The on-ball defender must remain below the 2-point arc until the ball has been checked, and the offensive player has established possession.

Once checked and possessed, the ball is live and may be passed, dribbled, or shot.  A check ball is not required following a change of possession resulting from a missed shot, rebound, steal, or turnover. In these situations, the new offensive team must first take the ball back behind the 2-point arc as described in Section 6.  A check ball may not be initiated from an out-of-bounds line or from any location other than the designated Check Ball Area.

6. Taking It Back

The ball must be taken back behind the 2-point arc on each change of possession, regardless of whether a shot was attempted. The ball is considered behind the arc when neither foot of the player possessing the ball is inside nor touching the arc. A take-back violation occurs as soon as a player attempts a shot and results in loss of possession and cancellation of any points just scored.

7. Ball Out-of-Bounds

An out-of-bounds ball will be put into play from behind the designated spot above the 2-point arc, not from an out-of-bounds line.

8. Change of Possession

Possession must change after scored baskets and after all free throw attempts, except following a Technical, Intentional, or Flagrant foul. There is no “make it, take it” rule.

9. Jump Ball

There is no alternating possession on jump-ball situations. In all jump-ball situations, the ball is awarded to the defensive team.

 

C. FOULS

1. Common Foul

Basketball referees will call fouls for all games. All non-shooting fouls, including offensive fouls, result in 1 free throw. A made basket will count when an offensive foul is made during the act of shooting.

If the fouled player is in the act of shooting and the shot is missed, the player is awarded 1 free throw on a 1-point try and 2 free throws on a 2-point try. If the 1-or 2-point try is made, the basket counts, and the fouled player receives 1 free throw worth 1 point.

During a free throw, all players must stand behind the free throw line. If an opposing player intentionally disrupts the shooter’s unhindered throw and the shot is missed, the shooter is entitled to another free throw. Possession changes following the last free throw, whether it is made or missed.

Common Foul Exception: For Intentional and Technical fouls, the offended team receives 1 free throw worth 1 point and possession. For Flagrant fouls, the offended team receives 2 free throws worth 1 point each and possession.

2. Intentional Foul

An Intentional foul includes, but is not limited to, a foul designed to neutralize an opponent’s obvious advantageous position. It may be an act that is not a legitimate effort to directly play the ball or an attempt to play the ball that results in excessive contact.

3. Technical Foul

A Technical foul includes, but is not limited to, unsportsmanlike acts such as taunting, baiting, or trash talk by a player or coach. Taunting and baiting may include derogatory remarks or gestures that incite or insult a player, referee, tournament official, or fan. Trash talk includes deeply personal verbal attacks directed toward anyone involved in the event. In extreme cases, the player or coach may be suspended from play and removed from the court for the remainder of the game and possibly the tournament. A Technical foul will also be assessed for stalling to preserve a winning margin.

4. Flagrant Foul

A Flagrant foul may be an act of a violent or aggressive nature or one that displays unacceptable conduct, whether intentional or not. It may involve violent or aggressive contact such as striking, kicking, kneeing, moving under an opponent who is in the air, or crouching or hipping in a manner that could cause severe injury. It may also involve dead-ball contact or dialogue that is extreme, persistent, aggressive, or abusive. A Flagrant foul will also be assessed to any player who makes physical contact with or assaults a referee or tournament official. A player committing a Flagrant foul will be suspended for the remainder of that game and possibly the rest of the tournament, as determined by a tournament official.

PYBL 3v3 Tournament Rules • 2026 Edition