The Home Team is responsible for making a copy of these rules available to the referees prior to each game. The rules should be kept at the scorer’s table during each game.

Coaches have no authority to change or modify the rules published herein. Coaches found playing by modified rules are subject to disciplinary action by the ETL Board.

WIAA high school rules are observed during all WESCO AAU basketball games. For further information, refer to the official WIAA High School Basketball Rule Book.

The ONLY exceptions to the WIAA high school rules include the following:

• There is no shot clock.
• Grades 5th and 6th MUST use a 28.5 ball rather than a full-sized ball.
• When a team has a lead of 20 or more points, they can not play a “full court” defense (i.e. – no checking in the back court). The leading team can resume a “full court” defense whenever the lead drops below 20 points.

Here are a few of the common high school rules:

• Each game consists of four 8-minute, stop-clock quarters, (i.e. – the clock stops on the referee’s whistle).
• Beginning in the 2nd half, if the point differential is 40 points or more, the game clock shall run continuously for the remainder of the game except for an official’s timeout, a charged time-out, time between quarters or the administration of free throws. The clock will continue to run for the remainder of the game, regardless if the point differential falls below 40 points. On free throws, the clock stops as soon as the referee announces a shooting foul to the official scorekeeper.
• If necessary, an overtime period is 4-minutes in duration. Each successive overtime is 4-minutes until a winning score has been determined. There are no ties and no sudden-death situations. Each successive overtime begins with a “jump-ball.”
• The 3-point line applies.
• Zone and full-court defenses are allowed.
• There are no minimum or maximum playing time rules for players.
• Each team is granted five timeouts during a game. Three of these are full timeouts while two are 30-second timeouts. One additional full timeout per team is granted during an overtime, (and for each successive overtime). This is added to any remaining timeouts from regulation play.
• A time-out can be taken when a team has possession or when the ball is dead, (i.e. – play has stopped). A time-out can NOT be taken when the opposing team has possession of the ball.
• A player fouls out of a game once they receive five personal fouls.
• During a free-throw, two of the shooter’s teammates and four of the defensive team’s players may position themselves around the key in designated spots. The remaining players must be behind the free throw line and outside of the 3-point line.
• During free-throws, players can no longer occupy the two marked lane spaces closet to the basket. From now on, players will be moved back one lane space in free-throw situations. The high school federation changed this rule to reduce player fouls.
• When a team commits seven team fouls during one half of play, the opposing team is in the bonus and shoots one-and-one at the free throw line, (i.e. – the first free throw must be made in order to shoot a second free throw).
• When a team commits ten team fouls during one half of play, the opposing team is in the double bonus and shoots one plus the bonus at the free throw line, (i.e. – automatic two shots). Team foul totals reset at the start of the second half but do not reset during any possible overtime play.
• When in the bonus or double-bonus, an offensive foul (or player control foul) counts toward the personal foul and team foul totals, but offensive fouls do not constitute free throw shooting situations. (i.e. - The ball is inbounded after an offensive foul has been committed.)
• When a player or coach commits a technical foul, the opposing team gets two free throws plus ball possession (NO automatic two points). A technical foul on a player counts toward their personal foul total. When a coach or player receives two technical fouls in one game, they are removed from the game. The offending individual must also sit out the entire duration of the next scheduled league game. Technical fouls on players count towards the team foul total for the half when the technical foul occurred.
• A flagrant foul counts as a technical foul. Two shots are awarded plus ball possession. If a flagrant foul is committed in a shooting situation, two free throws are awarded for the foul plus two free throws for the flagrant (technical) plus ball possession.
• A minimum of five players is required to start a game or the short-handed team must forfeit. Once a game has started with five players, it can finish the game with less than five if a player fouls out or is removed due to an injury.
• A player who’s uniform number is incorrectly identified on the official scorer’s sheet (or not identified at all) at the start of the game will result in a technical foul.
• Substituting players must check-in at the scorers’ table. The substituting player must NOT enter the game until they have been signaled in by a referee. During a two-shot free throw situation, substituting players must wait until after the first free throw before entering the game. When waiting to enter a game, the substituting player should take a knee next to the scorers’ table.

Other WESCO AAU Rules:

• Coaches or players who are ejected during a game must sit out the entire duration of the next scheduled league game (as noted in the previous discussion on technical fouls). Coaches or players who are ejected a 2nd time during a WESCO AAU season will be suspended indefinitely until their case is reviewed by a 5-person WESCO AAU committee. Penalties can include further game suspensions or removal from the WESCO AAU for the remainder of the basketball season.
• Halftime will be five minutes in length.
• Teams will be granted a minimum of five minutes to warm up before a scheduled game.
• Games will not be started before their scheduled times unless agreed to by both coaches and the assigned referees.
• Player uniform numbers will consist of numbers 0-5 for each digit. (examples: 00, 5, 12, 23, 34, 43, 52)

Rules need to be with coaches and at the scorer’s table at each game.