Canadian Rules for Junior High Basketball

Canadian basketball switched to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules in the 2006-2007 season. The switch was made by the Canadian College Athletic Association to help create a common rule set across the country, though junior high school basketball districts may use slight variations of the rules. These may include number of fouls awarded before disqualification, number of minutes in a quarter and roster requirements. Check with a league official for specific rules.

  1. Players

    • Competitive basketball in Canada is played with five starters on the floor and five substitutes on the bench. Depending on the league, rules may allow for more substitute players on the bench. Games must be started by five players per team, but can end with fewer than five due to injury or disqualification. A game will be forfeited if a team falls to fewer than two players. Players must be in the correct age/grade level to be on the team.

    Subs

    • Substitution rules in Canada have some distinct intricacies unseen in American basketball. For example, in the last two minutes of the fourth period or overtime, a team that gives up points is allowed to substitute players. The scoring team is not allowed to substitute.

    8 Seconds Rule

    • The eight-second rule states that the offense must advance the basketball past half court before eight seconds has come off the clock. This rule, formerly the 10-second rule, was made to keep inferior teams from holding the ball in the back court for extended periods of time. Some school leagues may still use the 10-second rule or may not use a half court rule at all. Check with local league officials to make sure of the rule in your district.

    Technical Fouls

    • In Canada, a technical foul will result in a player foul and a team foul. Players are ejected with two technical fouls or five player fouls.This is different from American rules where the technical foul is not also counted as a player foul. If three technical fouls are made by the head coach, players or assistant coaches of the same team, the head coach will be eliminated from the contest. Otherwise, two technical fouls by the head coach will disqualify him from continuing to coach that game.

    Other Rules

    • Other rules that may vary by league include double-teaming rules, full court pressure defense rules, number of time outs allotted per team and others. Check with a local league official to become familiar with the specific rules in your district.