TBL Rules

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Game Duration: 

• High school basketball consists of four 8-minute quarters, while NBA/TBL games consist of four 12-minute quarters and a 12 minute halftime. 

Shot Clock: 

• In the NBA/TBL, there is a 24-second shot clock, while high school often uses a 30 or 35-second shot clock.

Three-Point Line Distance: 

• In the NBA/TBL, the three-point line is approximately 23 feet 9 inches at the top of the key and 22 feet in the corners, while in high school, it is usually around 19 feet 9 inches.

Foul Limit: 

• In high school basketball, players are disqualified after accumulating five personal fouls, while in the NBA/TBL, players are disqualified after six fouls.

Backcourt Violation: 

• In the NBA/TBL, once a team advances the ball past the half-court line, they cannot pass it back across the line and retrieve it unless it is under 2 minutes in the 4th quarter.

Jump Ball Procedure: 

• In the NBA/TBL, a held ball jump-ball situation results in an actual jump ball; there is no alternating possession arrow.

Defensive 3 Seconds: 

• The NBA/TBL defensive three-second rule prohibits defensive players from staying in the key for more than three seconds without actively guarding or touching an opponent. 
• Violating this rule results in a technical foul shot awarded to the opposing team, with possession retained after the free-throw attempt.

Foul Limit:

• Teams enter into a penalty situation after committing 5 team fouls in a quarter. Once a team has reached the penalty, the opposing team shoots 2 free throws for each subsequent foul.

Under 2 Minutes: 

• In the NBA/TBL, the clock stops for all made baskets during the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime periods, and for the last minute of any other quarter.
• Unless already in the bonus, both teams have 1 foul to give. Upon the 2nd foul, the opposing team enters the previously mentioned penalty/bonus situation.

Timeouts and End of Quarters: 

• Each team receives 7 timeouts. 
• Regular timeouts are 1 minute and 15 seconds.
• Media timeouts and quarter breaks are 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
• Each media timeout is at the first whistle under 7 minutes and the first whistle under 4 minutes.
• If no team has called a timeout at the under 7-minute mark, the home team is charged with the media timeout. 
• If no team has called a timeout at the under 4-minute mark, the away team is charged with a timeout to trigger the media. 
• No team can have more than 4 timeouts in the 4th quarter
• No team can have more than 2 timeouts in the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter.

Overtime:

• If the score is tied at the end of the fourth period, play shall resume after a 2-minute and 30-second break without change of baskets for any of the overtime periods required. 
• Overtime periods are five minutes long, and the timing devices shall be stopped during the last two minutes of overtime(s) following a successful field goal attempt.
• In overtime periods, each team shall be allowed two team timeouts.
• The first three common fouls committed by a team in any overtime period shall result in the ball being awarded to the opposing team on the sideline nearest where play was interrupted.
• During any overtime period, common fouls charged as team fouls in excess of three will be penalized by one free throw plus a penalty free-throw attempt. 
• If a team has not committed its quota of three team fouls during the first three minutes of any overtime period, it shall be permitted to incur one team foul during the last two minutes without penalty
• During the last two minutes of any overtime period, the ball may be passed anywhere (front court or backcourt) on the court during inbound plays. 

Technical Fouls: 

• When a technical foul is called, the opposing team is awarded one free-throw attempt, and the ball returns to the point of interruption. Technical fouls do not count as personal fouls.

Throw-in Violation: 

• In the TBL, all throw-ins for a violation are performed from the sideline. The only time a baseline throw-in occurs is if the ball goes out of bounds.

Opening Possession:

• To start a quarter in the TBL, the team that lost the opening tip-off receives the ball in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, while the team that won the tip receives the ball in the 4th quarter.