Adult Basketball Rules and Information

Updated as of 1/5/2026. Changes are *italicized and red*.

 

LEAGUE INFORMATION

  • League rules, information, and schedules are available at www.teamsideline.com/longmont or at the City of Longmont Recreation Facilities.
  • Team and free agent registrations are only accepted at the Longmont Recreation Center or on-line at www.longmontcolorado.gov/recreation.
  • All games are played on Thursday evenings at the Longmont Recreation Center, 310 Quail Road.

 

FEES

All fees are payable to the Longmont Recreation Center Front Desk or online.

$505 Early-Bird Team Fee per season                                             

$555 Standard Team Fee per season              

$20 Late Registration Fee

$20 Split-Payment Option- Half or more of the team fee plus the $20 split-payment option is due upon registration. The remaining balance is due prior to the 

$70/$87.50 Free Agent Fee per season (resident/non-resident)

$10 One-time Player Fee/player/game

$20 Additional Player Fee/player/team

$25/$50 Player Ejection Fee- 1st occurrence/2nd occurrence in a season

$50 Game Protest Fee/occurrence

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT

  • The City of Longmont Recreation reserves the right to change any and all rules, regulations and policies whenever due cause warrants a change. When a change is made, all managers of teams affected by such a change will be notified immediately. All league rules will be enforced by Recreation Program Administrators, Game Officials and/or Longmont Recreation Center Staff.

·       All Team Managers are responsible for the information contained in this manual, as well as any other information that is emailed or distributed by the Recreation Program Administrators. Team Managers are responsible for sharing all information with team participants.

  • The purpose of this league, sponsored by the City of Longmont Recreation, is to combine the interest of basketball teams in the community, to provide friendly competition, and regulate fair play. Any questions concerning basketball schedules, standings, game results, rosters, officials, rule interpretations, or any other concerns not stated, should be directed to the Recreation Program Administrators through the Sports Office at 303-774-3527 or sports@longmontcolorado.gov.
RECREATION STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Provide a schedule of games (regular season, weather cancellations and end-of-season tournament).
  • Provide a game ball and score sheets.
  • Provide at least one referee and gym supervisor.
  • Provide all necessary personnel to handle maintenance and other duties as needed.
  • Keep a record of all games played.
  • Handle all misconduct situations within the guidelines stated in the “Code of Conduct”.

 

TEAM MANAGER RESPONSIBILITY
  • Follow all league rules as stated, including code of conduct.
  • Inform all team members of the information contained in this manual and/or any other material provided by the Recreation Program Administrators.
  • Inform all team members of game times, dates, and locations.
  • Ensure that all team members are recorded on the official roster. Players are not allowed to be on more than one roster per division per season.
  • Monitor roster, including changes and additions throughout the season.
  • Inform Recreation Program Administrators of any questions, concerns, or comments.
  • Be responsible for the actions of the team while participating.
  • Notify the Recreation Program Administrator of any changes to team manager information.
  • Be aware of all information provided by the athletics staff (make-up schedules, tournament information, league standings, etc).
  • Submit team’s line-up to the scorekeeper’s table ten minutes before game time with the first name, last initial, and number of each player competing.
  • Notify Recreation Program Administrators or Game Officials of forfeits.

 

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE

Registration is on a first come, first serve basis, and continues until the deadline or until the league is full, whichever comes first. Payment is required upon registering, either in full or using the spilt payment option. All checks should be payable to the City of Longmont. 

 

LEVEL OF PLAY

The Adult Basketball League is recreational in nature. If there are an ample number of teams registered in a season, the division may be spilt into upper or lower divisions and/or tournament brackets. The Recreation Program Administrators will enforce proper classification of teams and/or player(s) and have the discretion of moving or placing a team in a division deemed appropriate. If the Game Officials notice that a team and/or player(s) are too skilled for the level of play that they are in, they will notify the Recreation Program Administrators. A team may move up or down accordingly or remove select players as needed.

 

ELIGIBILITY RULES

All players must be eighteen (18) years of age to participate in Adult Basketball. Current-year interscholastic high school and college basketball players are not eligible for City of Longmont league play nor is anyone playing in a semi-pro league, whether in season or not. Before a player is eligible to participate in the league, they must officially be listed on the team roster. Players may not participate on more than on team in the same division/league. The league is open to all genders and play may occur without any minimum number of gendered people on the court.

TEAM ROSTER

·         Team rosters are now managed through Team Sideline, instead of paper roster forms. Team Managers will receive instructions on how to set up their team’s roster. All managers and players must have a valid email address.

·         A team roster, with a minimum of five (5) players, is required from each team prior to the start of their first game. A roster is limited to no more than nine (9) players. Rosters are open until the last two weeks of the regular season. After rosters are frozen, teams may only add one-time players in order to avoid forfeits. 

·         Additional Player- teams wishing to roster more than nine (9) players must pay an additional fee of $20 per player, which is payable at the Longmont Recreation Center front desk; proof of payment should be provided to Game Officials.

  • One-time Player- teams wishing to add a player for only one game may do so only to avoid a forfeit or to reach a maximum of 6 players for the night. The cost is $10 per player per game, payable at the Longmont Recreation Center front desk or online; proof of payment should be provided to Game Officials. Paper forms can be obtained from the gym supervisor. Team Managers must present the signed form and proof of payment to the gym supervisor before the start of the game. One-time add-ons may only be added to reach the player limit or for injury, not to replace an ejection. One-time players will not be listed on the team’s official roster.

·         Illegal Player- one who has not been officially added to a team's roster. If a player is found to be illegal, then the team will forfeit the games in which the illegal player has participated in; and the manager will be suspended for one week/game. Players should always have a photo I.D. available for identification at games. Roster checks may be done by gym supervisors without notice. A game may be finished if a player is missing their ID pending submission of their ID to the Sports Office within one (1) business day.

 

GAME FORFEITS

·         Game time is forfeit time. A team must have four (4) players present and ready to start the game. If only three (3) players are present at game time, and the 4th player comes within five (5) minutes after game time, the game can be played using a 15-minute 1st half. No recreation staff will be used AND conduct rules are in effect if the game is a forfeit for any reason.

  • No Show/No Call Forfeits- If a team is unable to participate in a scheduled game, the team manager should inform Recreation Staff as a courtesy to the opposing team and Game Officials. If a team fails to call or show for two scheduled games, the team will be removed from the league without refund.
    • Acceptable notification is a call/voicemail or email message to the Recreation Program Administrator through the Sports Office at 303-774-3527 or sports@longmontcolorado.gov before 5:00 PM on the day of a game.
    • If after 5:00 PM, team managers should call the Longmont Recreation Center at 303-774-4800 AND speak to a Staff member so they can notify Game Officials of a game forfeit that evening.
  • Once a team manager has forfeited a game, the decision cannot be reversed.

 

UNIFORMS

  • Each team must have matching or similar colored shirts or jerseys, with non-duplicating (six-inch) numbers on the back, for all games. Taped numbers are not allowed.
  • Free Agent teams will be given a two-week grace period to produce their own shirts/jerseys must have them by their 3rd game. They may use loaner jerseys as needed for their first two games.
  • Recreation Services will provide pull-over numbered mesh shirts if two teams have similar colored jerseys.
  • Loaner jerseys will be available for players who do not have a jersey but no more than 2 players per team may check out and wear a loaner jersey (except for free agent teams during the grace period).

 

STANDINGS/TIE BREAKER CRITERIA

Standings will be determined by win/loss percentage. If at the end of league play two or more teams are tied for any place, the following procedure will be utilized to determine who qualifies for the higher seed for the tournament:

  1. Winning percentage
  2. Head-to-head or head-to group play between tied teams
  3. Head-to-head or head-to group point differential between tied teams
  4. Lowest number of forfeits (a team who has forfeited a game automatically loses the tie-breaker)
  5. Total Points Against (least to most)
  6. Total Points For (most to least)
  7. Total Points Differential
  8. Coin toss will determine which team shall be the higher seed

 

AWARDS

  • League winners will receive t-shirts
  • Tournament winners will receive a team trophy plaque

 

MISCELLANEOUS

·         Player Conduct – players are responsible for maintaining standards of good sportsmanship all times. Profanity, drinking, abusive language, disrespect, and physical violence will not be tolerated; violators will be removed from the game and asked to leave the gym.

·         Supervision of children at Adult League games is the responsibility of the parents. Longmont Recreation assumes no liability in case of an accident or injury. If a child is persistently out-of-control, and at any time delays the progress of a game, the parent must remove the child from the building immediately. Games will be stopped and the clock will continue to run, until the matter is handled. All children must remain in the gym and be seated in the stands.

  • Blood Rule – A player who has any visible blood flow must be removed from the game. Before re-entering:
    • blood flow must be stopped,
    • wound(s) must be covered, and
    • any clothing that has blood on it must be changed. A loaner jersey may be used if needed.
  • Team Managers – The team manager listed on the team roster will be the only person to act as such and is the only person that should communicate with the Game Officials and Recreation Program Administrators during and outside of games. If the Team Manager is absent, a substitute or replacement must be named. Please notify the Game Officials and Recreation Program Administrators of changes.

 

PROTEST

A game protest can only be made when it is felt that there has been a misinterpretation of the rules. Differences of opinion about the official’s judgment do not constitute grounds for a protest. The Team Manager of the protesting team shall immediately notify the Game Officials, Scorekeeper and opposing Team Manager that the game is being continued under protest. A formal protest must be submitted to the Sports Office at the Longmont Recreation Center before 5:00 PM of the next business day after the game. The Recreation Program Administrator will have the final decision as to whether the protest should be upheld. NO PROTEST WILL BE CONSIDERED unless it contains the following information:  

1-      Date, time and place of game,

2-      All essential facts involved in the protest situation, and

3-      $50.00 protest fee (fee will be refunded only if protest is upheld).

 

ADULT BASKETBALL GAME RULES

Current NFHS high school rules will govern play with the following exceptions:

1.      Games are two (2), twenty (20) minute running halves, with a five (5) minute half time break.

2.      The clock will stop the last three (3) minutes of the second half if there is a difference of ten (10) points or less, or any time thereafter that the score becomes ten (10) points or less. 

3.      Each team has two (2) one-minute time-outs per half and one (1) one-minute time-out for each overtime period.  Time-outs are not cumulative.

4.      A jump ball is used to start the game. After the initial jump ball, teams will alternate possession on each “jump ball” situation.

5.      During a free throw, all players in a marked lane space must wait for the ball to be released before entering the lane. All other players including the shooter and players not in a marked line space outside of the free throw line extended must wait for the ball to hit the rim before entering the lane.

6.      Any player receiving a flagrant foul (where an opposing player may be harmed) will be ejected from the game and will not be allowed to play in the next scheduled game. The opposing team is awarded two (2) points and the ball to be put in play at the sport of the foul. If a player receives an intentional foul the opposing team is awarded two (2) points and the ball.

7.      A player receiving an unsportsmanlike technical foul (includes using foul language) will be required to sit out three (3) minutes of the running game clock. The opposing team is awarded two (2) foul shots and the ball.

8.      A player given a second unsportsmanlike technical foul is ejected from the game being played and the team’s next scheduled game. Two (2) minutes are allowed for an ejected player to remove themselves from the designated contest area or the game is a forfeit. Any player or manager given an unsportsmanlike technical foul for fighting (pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, etc.) another player will be suspended for the remainder of season at minimum, and up to a calendar year.

9.      If a team receives three (3) unsportsmanlike technical fouls in a game, the game is a forfeit. Any individual who receives five (5) technical fouls in a one-year period is suspended for one year.

10.  Return to Play Fee- participants ejected from play, must pay $25 (for 1st Ejection in season) or $50 (2nd Ejection in season) in order to return to play. Payments are accepted at the Longmont Recreation Center front desk; proof of payment should be provided to Game Officials.

11.  Players are allowed five (5) personal fouls per game before being disqualified from the game.

12.  In case of a tie, a three (3) minute (stop clock) overtime period is played. No game will end in a tie.

13.  Dunking is allowed during a game in a live ball situation. A player may hang on the rim only as a safety measure to avoid falling on or colliding with another player – this is a judgement call. Stuffing or dunking the ball, hanging on the rim and/or net IS NOT ALLOWED any time prior to the game or at half-time; the effect is that the player is assessed an unsportsmanlike technical foul.


CITY OF LONGMONT RECREATION SERVICES PLAYER CODE OF CONDUCT

 

PLAYER CODE OF CONDUCT:

  1. No person shall at any time abuse a player, manager, spectator or Recreation employee. In addition, no person shall be guilty of using unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of the game against the body and person of an opposing player.
  2. No person shall refuse to abide by an official's decision, nor argue with the officials’ judgment.
  3. No person shall appear at the contest area under the influence of alcohol or drugs, nor consume alcohol or drugs during play. No one may not smoke while in the contest area.

 

PENALTIES

Minimum penalty: removal (ejection) from further play in the game being played and suspension from the next scheduled game. To encourage good sporting behavior, a $25 return to play fee is implemented if a player is ejected in addition to a one-week minimum suspension (on the first occurrence). If a second ejection occurs within 365 days, the return to play fee is $50 and there is a two-week minimum suspension.

Maximum penalty: penalty shall be determined by the Recreation Program Administrator(s). Offenders could be suspended from further league play. 

 

Any player or manager given an unsportsmanlike technical foul for fighting (pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, etc.) another player will be suspended for the remainder of the season at the minimum and up to a year.

 

TWO-MINUTE CLAUSE: Two (2) minutes are allowed for an ejected player to remove themselves from the designated contest area or the game is a forfeit.

 

ELASTICITY CLAUSE: In order to provide for the recreational enjoyment of players, managers, and spectators, any enforcement procedures which are not stated herein may be provided by the City of Longmont Recreation Division as is deemed necessary.

 

DEFINITIONS:

  • Team Manager– The designated team spokesperson and the ONLY person who may discuss a decision with officials. The team manager can be either a player or non-player.
  • Player – A person, who actively participates in the game, sits on the bench or who is on the roster.
  • Contest Area – The area in which the game is played.
  • Spectator – A person who watches the game for entertainment with no physical involvement.
  • City of Longmont Activity –Any event designated or hosted by City of Longmont Recreation Services.
  • Recreation Program Administrator(s) – The full-time employee(s) or designated individual of the City of Longmont Recreation Services directly responsible for the activity.
  • Game Officials – The Recreation Staff who keep score, supervise the gym and officiate the game.
  • Abuse – includes but is not limited to, obscene gestures, heckling, verbally attacking or threatening and/or laying a hand upon, shoving, striking, hitting or punching.