League Rules

July 20 , 2009

I-Slam Principles and Expectations

Unacceptable Behaviour and Suspensions

Team Composition

Skill-Based Divisions (Mississauga)

Late Arrival Guidelines and Penalties

General League Rules

Regular Season Rules

Playoff Rules

Roster Rules (trades, injuries, etc.)

I-Slam Principles and Expectations:

• The philosophy is to enjoy the competitive spirit and camaraderie of a fun game in a structured community league.
• Event organizers have full discretion to warn/penalize/disqualify any individual or team from the league based on their judgement of said individual's/team's conduct (see section entitled “Unacceptable Behaviour”).
• Referees have been given instructions to apply same powers as above for any games that they are overseeing.
• Volunteers have no such powers, so do not direct your concerns towards them. The only discretion they have is to bring any disputes to the attention of the organizers.
• All disputes or confusions, including disputed referee calls and disciplinary action, can ONLY be assessed and upheld/rectified by the organizers.
• If there is a strong disagreement with referees, the captain needs to talk to the Organizers, not to the referee. Referees are not required to defend their officiating to players/spectators. Because there is no security, these referees are to be given total control. If you disagree with the officials at your game, please control your emotions and speak with Organizers at a timeout, half-time, or end of the game.
• Out of respect to your fellow brothers and the Islamic environment I-Slam looks to adhere to, please ensure that all spectators you bring are respectable individuals who will not disrupt the league in any way, are dressed modestly and respectably, and adhere to I-Slam's expectations of conduct.

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Unacceptable Behaviour and Suspensions:

Fighting

• Any form of fighting will result in automatic ejection of the aggressor(s) for both that game and the remainder of the season (No Refund). Future eligibility of a suspended player in any I-Slam event is at the discretion of the Organizers.
• A team fight is a league suspension for all members of the team involved, with no refund. Players have a responsibility to control or restrain their own teammates to avoid the suspension or expulsion of players.

Technical Fouls

• Referees have sole authority in assessing technical fouls. Referees have been given instructions to apply same powers as above for any games that they are overseeing.
• Personal and AdministrativeTechnicals count as personal AND team fouls. Each of the following indiscretions (except for fighting which warrants the above disciplinary action) will warrant a technical. Upon the 2nd Personal Technical Foul, the player will be ejected from the game.
• Administrative Technical Fouls for not playing in Team Uniform (i.e. Team shirt provided at start of the season)
• Personal Technical Fouls for:
  • Swearing (regardless if directed at himself, another player, organizers, referees, or spectators)
  • Arguing with referees consistently
  • Using a tone unbecoming of an Islamic environment to any individuals present at the league
  • Taunting of players
  • Trash talking
  • Instigating confrontations
  • Poor sportsmanship before/after games
  • And others that may arise that organizers deem contradictory to the spirit of the league which is to promote brotherhood within the Ummah and with the community at largeieve success and confidence in future endeavours.

League Suspensions

• If a player receives 2 PERSONAL technicals in one game they are automatically ejected from the game and may be required to leave the gym immediately (NOTE: 1 Administrative Tech + 1 Personal Tech does not equal a game ejection).
  • If the ejected player does not leave the gym immediately when directed to by an Organizer or referee, his team will forfeit the game.
• If a player receives more than 1 one-game suspension in the season, he is suspended from the league for that season, and his eligibility for future I-Slam events will be at the discretion of the Organizers.

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Team Composition:

• Teams must have at least 6 players and a maximum of 10 players.
• Any captains that do not submit a team with the minimum number of players will be assigned players by the Organizers (after discussing the team's needs with the captains) from the pool of players in the I-Slam draft, until their roster has at least 6 players.
• Each team is welcome to include their friends, both Muslim and non-Muslims. To maintain positive interaction and learning between Muslim and non-Muslims participants, each must have at least an equal number of Muslim players (e.g. if you have 8 players, then you must have at least 4 Muslim players). Any exceptions to this rule are at the discretion of the Organizers.
  • NOTE: If you are a captain bringing in non-Muslim players, you are responsible for their conduct (as well as your own and the rest of your team). It is your duty to explain to them the importance of good conduct and respecting our Islamic obligations (i.e. language, treatment of facilities, respecting referees, stopping games for prayers even if in the middle of a game), as well as the level of manners we expect of all individuals, Muslim or Non-Muslim.
• The organizers and your fellow players are placing a trust in you to bring respectable Muslim and non-Muslim players who are cognizant of the behavior expected of all players in an Islamic setting; if any problems do arise, the organizers retain the right to address the problem as they see fit.

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Skill-Based Divisions:

• In Mississauga leagues, teams will be seperated into Tier 1 and Tier 2, each with their own regular season and playoff schedules to ensure fair competition.
• The Tier 2 champion will have the chance to play in Tier 1 the following season.

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Late Arrival Guidelines and Penalties:

• All games will begin ON TIME at the time stated on the online schedule.
• BOTH teams require at least 5 players to begin the game.
  • Teams with less than 5 players may select the necessary number of players from the pick-up sessions IF and ONLY if those pick-up players appear on the OFFICIAL list of pick-up players and the pick-up players are NOT on the regular roster of any league teams. These pick-up players are considered temporary and must leave the court once the team's official players arrive.
• In the instance that one or both teams don't have at least 5 players at the stated game time, the 1st half clock will begin and:
• Within the 5-minute mark of the 1st half:
  • If both teams still don't have at least 5 players, then 1st half clock will continue.
  • If both teams have at least 5 players at any point within the 5-minute mark of the 1st half, the game will commence immediately with only the remaining time available in the 1st half. This is regardless if one team gets at least 5 players prior to the other team, within the first 5 minutes of the 1st half.
  • If only one team has at least 5 players at the 5-minute mark of the 1st half, that team will be awarded a 5-0 lead, and the 1st half clock will continue.
• Within the 5 to 10 minute mark of the 1st half:
  • If both teams have at least 5 players in the 5 to 10-minute mark of the 1st half, the game will commence immediately at a score of 0-0 with only the remaining time available in the 1st half. This is regardless if one team gets at least 5 players prior to the other team, within the 5 to 10-minute mark of the 1st half.
  • If one team already had at least 5 players at the 5-minute mark of the 1st half, and the other team reaches at least the 5 player minimum in the 5 to 10-minute mark of the first half, the game will commence innediately with the former team holding a 5-0 lead and only the remaining time available in the 1st half.
• At the 10 minute mark of the 1st half:
  • If both teams after the 10-minute mark of the 1st half, still do not have at least 5 players the game will be declared a DOUBLE DEFAULT.
  • If only one team has at least 5 players at the 10-minute mark of the 1st half, they will be declared the game winner with a final score of 10-0.

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General League Rules:

• Prayers: Games will be stopped on first whistle or made basket when adhan is heard regardless of score or time remaining in games. All players will be removed from the courts and games will resume after completion of prayers.
• Team Shirts: Official I-Slam shirts MUST be worn at all games! Failure to do so will result in the requisite number of administrative technical and team fouls against the offending team and players, and TWO (2) Administrative technical shots for the opposing team (per missing shirt by the opposing team) at the start of the game and their possession in lieu of the jump-ball.
• Warm-ups: Warm-up time, if time permits as deemed by the Organizers, will be limited to the 5-minute grace period allowed at the start of the game's scheduled time. Warm-up time is not guarenteed, therefore players are advised to show up early to their games.
• Referees: All games will have 2 certified referees.

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Regular Season Rules:

• Games will be 5-on-5 full court by default.
• The five (5) second “closely guarded” rule WILL be enforced on offence.
  • Defended = Rule is defender is within 6 feet and has obtained a legal Guarding position and is facing the dribbler.
  • Continuously Defended = Not necessarily defended by one specific defender but moreso by the defense as a whole. Therefore if a defender is picked and another one switches immediately and covers the ball handler, it is considered continuous.
  • A player that is holding or dribbling the ball and is continuosly defended within 6 feet will have a count of 5 seconds applied. If within those 5 seconds the ball handler changes his ball handling status (e.g. from dribbling the ball to holding the ball, or from holding the ball to dribbling), the 5 second count will be reset.
  • Note that the 5 second rule is dependent on being continuously defended and NOT by “forward motion” which is a common myth.
• TWO (2) 20-minute running time halves.
• Stop time ONLY if the score is within 5 points in the last 3 minutes of the 2nd half.
  • NOTE: Clock will stop at the 3-minute mark but subsequently does NOT stop on made baskets, only on whistles.
  • Stop-time rule will be reviewed by Organizers depending on time constraints throughout the season.
• 2 minute half-time.
• The 7th team foul in a half will result in a ‘1and1' single bonus situation. The 10th team foul and onwards in a half will result in a ‘2and2' double bonus situation. Team fouls are reset at the half but NOT in overtime periods.
• Individual fouls are recorded, and the 5th player foul results in their disqualification from the game (whereas an ejection would require leaving the premises immediately which occurs when 2 personal technical fouls are assessed against an individual player and may result in his team's forfeiture of the game if he doesn't leave the premises immediately).
• ONLY players lined up around the key on free throws may enter the key upon the release of the ball.
  • Players not lined up in the key must be situated outside the 3-point line, but not below the free throw line. Players oustide the key cannot cross the three-point line until the ball hits the backboard/rim.
  • NOTE: The shooter also can not break the free throw line or leave the circle unless ball hit the rim.
• One (1) 30-second timeout per half (carry over is allowed from the 1st half, for a maximum of 2 timeouts in the 2nd half).
• Two PERSONAL technical fouls in one game (as assessed by referees during game) results in ejection of player from that game and a one-game suspension.
• During free throws, the team on defense gets the full block. As a maximum, only 2 offensive player & three defensive players can line up in the free throw lane.
• REGULAR SEASON OVERTIME
• One THREE (3) minute overtime ONLY.
• Timeouts are NOT reset and are NOT carried over. Each team will be given one (1) timeout.
• Team fouls are carried over from the 2nd half (i.e. if in bonus in 2nd half, than still in bonus in OT).
• If any games are still tied at the end of 1st overtime, game will be deemed as a tie.

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Playoff Rules:

• Playoff Structure (i.e. seedings, number of teams eligible for playoffs, etc.) are decided prior to the start of the regular season depending on the number of teams in the league, the number of weeks of the permit, etc.
  • The playoff structure is transparent and explained in the “Standings” section of the league site prior to the start of the season.
  • I-Slam makes every attempt to have all teams make the playoffs.
• Players eligible for playoff competition must have played in at least 3 regular season games.
• Same game rules and exceptions as stated in REGULAR SEASON section apply, EXCEPT:
  • No limit to number of overtimes. Games continue until a winner is deemed.
  • For playoff seeding, teams will be ranked based first on won-loss records, then head-to-head, then on point differential, and finally fewest points allowed.

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Trade and Injury Rules:

• There is no trading or injury replacement deadline for the regular season. NOTE: The replacing player must have played at least 3 regular season games to be playoff eligible.
• Captains may not trade themselves to other teams or replace themselves due to injury.
• Trades or injury replacements must involve equal numbers of players going to each team (eg. “2-for-2” trades are permitted but “2-for-1” trades are prohibited).
• All trades or injury replacements are subject to the organizer's approval.

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