SPBL Rules & Regulations - SPBL | Home of the Singapore Premier Basketball League

SPBL RULES & REGULATIONS (Current from January 2024)

Aim:

The aim of the Singapore Premier Basketball League (SPBL) is to provide a fair, balanced and well organised competition which caters to children to compete in games of basketball suitable to their age and experience.

Administration:

The SPBL is administered by a group of basketball clubs including local and expatriate clubs, schools and academies.

SPBL Committee

Kiran Nagesh – Fastbreak Basketball Club
Jade Nunan – Sharks Basketball Club
Wei Long – Scholar Basketball Academy
Nestor David Jr. – Phoenix Basketball Club
Noel Pollock – Proform Basketball Club

FIBA Rules

Unless otherwise stated below, all rules and regulations are as per the FIBA Official Basketball Rules: https://www.fiba.basketball/documents/official-basketball-rules/current.pdf

Modifications detailed below are for the purpose of the development of youth sport, and in line with best practice adopted locally and internationally.

Amendments to these rules will be adopted by the league when instituted by FIBA.

League Structure

Age Groups & Divisions

The SPBL Age Groups are governed by the Year of Birth of players, and are updated at the beginning of any new calendar year.

10&U (born 2014 or after)
12&U (2012-2013)
14&U (2010-2011)
16&U (2008-2009)
18&U (born 2006-2007) for Boys & Girls

The SPBL features multiple divisions in each age group, where teams can nominate and will be placed based upon their skill, age and experience. Divisions will be from Division 1 (strongest division in age group) to Division 4 if / where required.

Older players are not permitted to play in a younger age group. Should an older player be found in breach all games played will be forfeited for the offending team.

Game Times and Days

In order to provide consistency for families and players, age groups are scheduled in certain “bands” of times, where possible, and all games will be played at these times. Games are only scheduled on Sundays.

10&U: 8:30 / 9:40
12&U: 8:30 / 9:40 / 10:50
14&U: 10:50 / 12:00 / 13:10
16&U: 13:10 / 14:20 / 15:30
18&U: 14:20 / 15:30 / 16:40

Clubs are required to adhere to these time slots and ensure their teams are available for the times stated prior to registering their interest in the league.

Fixed Schedule Provision

The schedule for games in the league will be created and administered by the league to ensure games are played as required and in a timely fashion. Any black out dates for teams or clubs will be taken into account for the scheduling, but clubs must ensure that they are available for a minimum number of dates to fulfil their game requirements, including availability for all playoff rounds.

Where a team is unable to meet this minimum availability requirement the league may schedule 2 games in 1 day to be played. If you do not accept this format, these games will apply accordingly as forfeits with the result awarded to the other team.

Games once scheduled, and a finalised PDF provided, should not be moved unless both teams agree to the changes. If any game is to be rescheduled, at the request of an individual team, this must be provided by 5pm Thursday, allowing a minimum of 24 hours notice for the league and opposing team. If less than 24 hours notice, then a forfeit may be awarded against the infringing team, and the team infringing will pay the full amount of the game’s referee fees. Any game changes or cancellation received after 5pm Friday will result in a forfeit being applied, and the team infringing will pay the full amount of the game’s referee fees.

Season Regulations

Grading Regulations

All new teams are required to play grading games prior to their division nomination being accepted.
At any stage within a team’s first three games, the league reserves the right to move a team up or down divisions based upon any lop-sided results (consistent 20+ point variances)
If teams are required to move, all care will be taken to maintain a fair and reasonable record, and rescheduled games, for all participants affected.
A “promotion / relegation” method will be used for returning teams between the Spring & Fall seasons. Where age groups change at the turn of the calendar year, the promotion / relegation focus will be on players based upon Player Registration Forms.

League Format

The ideal format for a division is as follows:

8 teams per division
7 round robin games per team, against all other teams in division
3 rounds of playoffs, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals
- This will include a 5th-8th placed Semi Finals bracket for teams that lose in the Quarter Finals, and;
- Position games from 1st to 7th.

Where there are more / less than 8 teams in a division, the league will look at all of the following to ensure a minimum of 10 league games (round robin plus playoffs)

Multiple rounds in the Round Robin stage, and;
Increased or reduced Playoff Games

End of season team standings tiebreakers will be calculated as such:

Head to Head record.
Where point #1 is tied, season point differential.
Where points #1 and #2 is tied, tied teams matchup(s) point differential.

Registered Players, Eligible Players for Games and Scoresheets

Players are not permitted to play for multiple clubs. Once you have played a game for a club you are not permitted to change clubs for the remainder of that season.
Players must be registered with the league before they are allowed on court.
- Where a player needs to be registered close to a game time, notice in electronic communication should be provided to the League Administrator, and the game will only be assessed to be valid if the player meets the eligibility requirements of age and skill level for the division.
Players are eligible based upon both their age, but also by their skill level. Where a player is identified to be of a demonstrably higher level than the division in which they are playing, the league reserves the right to have them moved to a higher level, or made ineligible at a lower level.
Maximum 12 players can play in any given game, with a maximum 16 players allowed to be registered for any team.
A minimum of 4 players are required for a game to begin.
- If at any stage, the available players during a game drops below 4, the game will be ended at that time and the win, regardless of score, be awarded to the opposition team.
Scoresheets will be pre-printed by the league and provided at each Host venue prior to games
- If player amendments are to be made, they must be clearly written, with first and last names, and the amended players must meet the above eligibility criteria.

Playing in Multiple Teams within a Club

Players are permitted to play within multiple teams, within a single club, where the following is adhered to:
- Players must play within their age groups.
- The player may not play in a lower division than the oldest age group division they play within. This rule also applies for fill-in players.

Example: Player A plays 18U Division 1, he cannot play 16U Division 2 or lower.

Example: Player B players 18U Division 2, he cannot play 16U Division 3 or lower.