NJSIAA Season Dates:

  • December 1- First Practice
  • December 8 – First competition allowed
  • January 1 – (or first game, whichever is earlier) Roster due on NJ.com
  • February 6 – cutoff for committing to tournament
  • February 14 – 11:59 pm, cutoff date for power points
  • February 15 – power points finalized
  • February 16-17 – seeding finalized
  • February 25-28 – Round 1
  • March 1-6 – Round 2
  • March 7-11 – Semifinals
  • March 14 – South Finals (or B finals) @ Jersey Mike’s Arena
  • March 15 – North Finals (or A finals) @ Jersey Mike’s Arena

A date for Unified Cup Basketball (for teams not participating in the NJSIAA tournament) will be announced soon!


General Information

  • Games will consist of four 8-minute quarters with a running clock (exceptions below in rules)
  • Competitions are 5v5
  • Teams must maintain a ration of 3 athletes to 2 Unified Partners on the court
  • No game ends in a tie
  • High schools should use standard basketballs – Size 7 / 29.5

Eligibility

  • To participate interscholastically and at the NJSIAA level, students must be able to participate independently.
  • NJSIAA single-sport rules apply to NJSIAA basketball and track & field. NJSIAA Unified Basketball is a strenuous sport; participants on teams competing in the NJSIAA Unified Basketball post-season may not compete in any other NJSIAA winter sport with the exception of either Varsity Bowling or Unified Bowling
  • Students competing in a Unified Sport may not also be a Varsity athlete in that sport.

Rules

  • All games consist of four 8-minute quarters, running time with the exceptions listed below:
    • The clock stops ONLY on foul shots and timeouts.
    • During the last two minutes of the second half, the clock stops on every whistle.
  • If overtime is necessary, the period is five minutes, running time.
    • During the first 4 minutes of overtime, the clock stops ONLY on foul shots and timeouts.
    • During the last minute of overtime, the clock stops on every whistle.
    • Each team receives one additional full timeout during the overtime period.
    • Timing rules listed above are in effect for multiple overtime periods if needed.
    • Time outs earned in previous overtime periods do not carry over in additional overtime period.
  • Teams are allotted five timeouts per game.
    • Two (2) thirty second time outs
    • Three (3) full (one minute) timeouts.
  • The bonus occurs in each half when a team picks up its 7th team foul.
    • The bonus will ALWAYS result in 2 free throws.
    • Team fouls are reset to zero at the beginning of the second half.
  • All teams must always maintain a ratio of 3 Athletes to 2 Partners on the floor.
    • Once a game begins and throughout competition, only the following ratios are allowed: 3 athletes and 2 partners, 2 athletes and 2 partners.
    • Failure to adhere to the required ratio results in a forfeit.
  • One team warning per game for delay of game if player interferes with the ball after a basket is scored.
    • A technical foul will be called and enforced thereafter.
  • No free throws will be taken for double technical fouls or simultaneous technical fouls by opponents.
    • Play resumes with an alternating possession throw-in at the division line.
  • No player in a marked lane space shall fake entrance into the lane to cause an opponent to enter early and commit a violation.
  • During a Free Throw all players must wait until the ball hits the rim before they can step in.
  • In a free-throw situation; there are no substitutions permitted until after the first free throw.