Ball Out 3x3 follows FIBA 3x3 rules for gameplay. 

The Official FIBA Basketball Rules of the Game are valid for all game situations not specifically mentioned in the 3x3 Rules of the Game listed below.

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Art. 1 Court and ball

The game of 3x3 is played on a half court with one basket. A regular 3x3 court playing surface in official competitions is approximately 49' wide x 36' deep (15 meters x 11 meters), with regular basketball court markings, including a 19-foot (5.8 meters) free throw line, a 22-foot (6.75 meters) 2-point line, and a “no-charge semi-circle” area underneath the one basket. Half of a traditional basketball court may be used.

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Venue will provide and Wilson 3x3 game ball for all ages and ability. This ball is a size 6 with the weight of a size 7.

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Note: at grassroots level, 3x3 can be played anywhere; court markings – if any are used – shall be adapted to the available space

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Art. 2 Teams

Each team shall consist of up to 4 players (3 players on the court and 1 substitute).

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Art. 3 Game officials

The game shall consist of 1 referee and time/score keepers.

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Art. 4 Beginning of the game

4.1. Both teams shall warm-up simultaneously prior to the game.

4.2. A coin flip shall determine which team gets the first possession. The team that wins the coin flip can either choose to benefit from the ball possession at the beginning of the game or at the beginning of a potential overtime.

4.3. The game must start with three players on the court.

Note: articles 4.3 and 6.4 apply to FIBA 3x3 Official Competitions* only (not mandatory for grassroots events).

* FIBA Official Competitions are Olympic tournaments, 3x3 World Cups (including U18), zone championships (including U18), the 3x3 World Tour and 3x3 All -Stars

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Art. 5 Scoring

5.1. Every successful shot inside the arc shall be awarded 1 point.

5.2. Every successful shot behind the arc shall be awarded 2 points.

5.3. Every successful free throw shall be awarded 1 point.

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Art. 6 Playing time/Winner of a game

6.1. The regular playing time shall be as follows: one period of 10 minutes playing time. The clock shall be stopped during dead ball situations and free throws. The clock shall be restarted after the exchange of the ball is completed (as soon as it is in the offensive team’s hands).

6.2. The first team to score 21 points or more wins the game if it happens before the end of regular playing time. This rule applies to regular playing time only (not in a potential overtime).

6.3. If the score is tied at the end of playing time, an extra period of time will be played. There shall be a break of 1 minute before the overtime starts. The first team to score 2 points in the overtime wins the game.

6.4. A team shall lose the game by forfeit if at the scheduled starting time the team is not present on the playing court with 3 players ready to play. In case of a forfeit, the game score is marked with w-0 or 0-w (“w” standing for win).

6.5. A team shall lose by default if it leaves the court before the end of the game or all the players of the team are injured and/or disqualified. In case of a default situation, the winning team can choose to keep its score or have the game forfeited, while in either case the defaulting team's score is set to 0.

6.6. A team losing by default or a forfeit will be disqualified from the competition.

Note: if a game clock is not available the running time’s length is at the organizer’s discretion. FIBA recommends setting the score limit in line with the game’s duration (10 minutes/10 points; 15 minutes/15 points; 21 minutes/21 points).

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Art. 7 Fouls/Free throws

7.1. A team is in a penalty situation after it has committed 6 fouls. After a team has reached 9 team fouls, any subsequent foul will be considered technical. For the avoidance of doubt, players are not excluded based on the number of personal fouls subject to art. 15.

7.2. Fouls during the act of shooting inside the arc shall be awarded 1 free throw, whilst fouls during the act of shooting behind the arc shall be awarded 2 free throws.

7.3. Fouls during the act of shooting followed by a successful field goal shall be awarded 1 additional free throw.

7.4. Team fouls 7, 8 and 9 shall always be awarded with 2 free throws. The 10th and any subsequent team foul as well as technical and unsportsmanlike fouls will be always awarded with 2 free throws and ball possession. This clause is applied also to fouls during the act of shooting and overrules 7.2 and 7.3.

7.5. Possession is kept after the last free throw derived from an unsportsmanlike or technical foul and the game shall continue with an exchange of the ball behind the arc at the top of the court.

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Art. 8 How the ball is played

8.1. Following each successful field goal or last free throw (ex article 7.5):

• A player from a non-scoring team will resume the game by dribbling or passing the ball from inside the court directly underneath the basket (not from behind the end line) to a place on the court behind the arc.

• The defensive team is not allowed to play for the ball in the “no-charge semi-circle area” underneath the basket.

8.2. Following each unsuccessful field goal or last free throw (ex article 7.5):

• If the offensive team rebounds the ball, it may continue to attempt to score without returning the ball behind the arc.

• If the defensive team rebounds or steals the ball, it must return the ball behind the arc (by passing or dribbling).

8.3. Possession of the ball given to either team following any dead ball situation shall start with an exchange of the ball (between the defensive and the offensive player) behind the arc at the top of the court.

8.4. A player is considered to be “behind the arc” when neither of his feet are inside nor stepping on the arc.

8.5. In the event of a jump ball situation, the defensive team shall be awarded the ball.

Art. 9 Stalling

9.1. Stalling or failing to play actively (i.e. not attempting to score) shall be a violation and counted towards a foul.

9.2. If the court is equipped with a shot clock, a team must attempt a shot within  the alotted time frame. The clock shall start as soon as the ball is in the offensive players’ hands (following the exchange with the defensive player or after a successful field goal underneath the basket).

Note: If the court is not equipped with a shot clock and a team is not sufficiently trying to attack the basket, the referee shall give them a warning by counting the last 5 seconds.

Shot Clock Table:
12 Sec Shot Clock for u16/u18 and adult, (amended by venue for younger players)
 

Art. 10 Substitutions

Substitutions can be done by any team when the ball becomes dead, prior to the check-ball. The substitute can enter the game after his teammate steps off the court and establishes a physical contact with him. Substitutions can only take place behind the end line opposite the basket and substitutions require no action from the referees or table officials.

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Art. 11 Time-outs

No time outs given

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Art.12 Protest procedure

In case a team believes its interests have been adversely affected by a decision of an official or by any event that took place during a game, it must proceed in the following manner:

• 1. A player of that team shall sign the score sheet immediately at the end of the game and before the referee signs it.

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Art. 13 Standings of teams

Both in pools and in overall competition standings, the following classification rules apply. If teams are tied after the first step, refer to the next one – and so on.

• 1. Most wins (or win ratio in case of unequal number of games in inter-pool comparison);

• 2. Head-to-head confrontation (only taking win/loss into account and applies within a pool only);

• 3. Most points scored in average (without considering winning scores of forfeits).

If teams are still tied after those three steps, the one(s) with the highest seeding win(s) the tie-breaker.

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Art. 14 Seeding rules

Teams are seeded in correlation to the team ranking points (sum of the team’s 3 best players ranking points, prior to the competition). In case of a same team ranking points, seeding will be determined randomly prior to the competition start.

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Art. 15 Disqualification

A player committing two unsportsmanlike fouls will be disqualified from the game by the referees and from the event by the organizer. Independent thereof, the organizer will disqualify the player(s) concerned from the event for acts of violence, verbal or physical aggression, tortuous interference in game results, a violation of FIBA’s Anti-Doping rules (Book 4 of the FIBA Internal Regulations) or any other breach of the FIBA Code of Ethics (Book 1, Chapter II of the FIBA Internal Regulations). The organizer may also disqualify the entire team from the event depending on the other team members' contribution (also through non-action) to the aforementioned behavior. FIBA's right to impose disciplinary sanctions under the regulatory framework of the event, the Terms and Conditions of the3x3league, 3x3planet.com and the FIBA Internal Regulations remains unaffected by any disqualification under this Article 15.

Player Verification

Every player must be available, for each game at their designated court, acceptable documentation to verify their age and birthday. All players 13 and older must also have photo ID available at all times. If a player’s eligibility is challenged, the player must produce appropriate documentation to a designated tournament official. If a player does not produce acceptable documentation, the player may be disqualified from further participation in the tournament, at the sole discretion of a designated tournament official. Any false or misleading information provided on a player or a team will also be grounds for dismissal of the player or team from the tournament.

Information provided during team registration or on an approved Player Change Form is the basis for placement in divisions and brackets. It is expected to be both accurate and complete. Players and teams providing false, misleading or inaccurate information may be disqualified from the tournament. 

Organizer Determination

Event organizers and designated tournament officials shall have the power to make all decisions on any points not specifically covered in the Rules & Regulations and shall have the sole authority to interpret the intent and purpose of these Rules & Regulations. Event organizers and designated tournament officials reserve the right to disqualify any player and/or team for infractions of tournament rules and policies.