JAM Toronto

All Sorts of Sports: Rugby Basketball

There is only one format of Rugby Basketball under JAM rules. It is described in its entirety below.

JAM is for Everyone – Inclusion Statement

Our program offerings are designed to be inclusive for all members of the JAM community. Our goal is to create a welcoming gender policy that uplifts and supports each player where they are at. To ensure we can offer something for everyone, our programs may be offered in the following formats: Mixed-Gender, Women's, Men's, and Open.

Many of our league rules specify gender-based roster requirements, the goal of which is to ensure that each player has an equal opportunity to be included in gameplay.

Everyone participating in a JAM program is welcome to compete based on their gender identity and gender expression; regardless of their gender assigned at birth. Members whose gender identity does not align with the binary man/woman construct are welcome to play in all our mixed-gender and open programs.

Nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, and all other players who identify as a gender minority can count towards the roster minimums for either men or women in our mixed-gender leagues.

Game Time

All Rugby Basketball games are approximately 55-minutes in length. Please arrive early to ensure you get the full use of your allotted court time. Regardless of when your game begins, your game will always end on time to allow the succeeding games to begin at their scheduled time.

Time Keeping: If you’re playing without an official score clock, the JAM Ambassador on site will be keeping track of time and will determine the end of your game. In this instance, you will receive a warning indicating the final five (5) minutes of your game and a final signal for the end of your game. Once the final signal occurs your game is over.

Defaults: Teams will default a match if they cannot provide a full team 10 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Halftimes: There is no stoppage for halftime unless requested by one of the teams. If a half-time is requested, then it must be accommodated by the opposing team.

Players

Teams are comprised of four (4) players on the court at once.

Roster Numbers: Each team must have a minimum of one (1) man or gender minority and one (1) woman or gender minority player playing at all times.

Defaults: Teams will default a match if they cannot provide a full team 10 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Exceptions: Both teams can agree to play with any number of people on the court up to four (4) players, with any ratio of men, women or gender minority players. If both teams agree, then the game counts.

Playing Area

All Rugby Basketball gyms vary in size and there is no set standard for an JAM Rugby Basketball surface.

Equipment/Set Up

Team captains are responsible for bringing the one (1) supplied football to each game.

Teams are also responsible for keeping track of the score. Please designate one person to keep track of the score.

Uniforms

Teams are required to bring both light and coloured shirts to every game. Team colours are posted on the JAM website in your schedule. If two teams have the same colour the team captains should contact each other to ensure that each team knows what colour to wear.

Defaults: There is no default for players that don’t wear the right colour. However, that player must do everything they can to ensure it’s not confusing for the opposition. Whether this means wearing a pinny, a hat, a teammate’s shirt, etc. Under no circumstances can a player purposely deceive the opposition.

Rugby Basketball 101

The following outlines the basis of the rules of Rugby Basketball:

Rugby-basketball is played with a football!
Games begin with a jump ball
Defensive play is man-to-man only (no zone defence)
Players may substitute on the fly, but the outgoing player must tag the incoming player.
Each basket scored counts as a single point (regardless of where the shot was taken from i.e. no 3-pointers). The team that was scored upon passes in the ball from the end-line under the basket, like in normal basketball.
A game can end in a tie during the regular season.
If the ball is on the ground, it is live (anyone can pick it up).
If a ball goes out of bounds, it goes to the team who was not the last to touch it. The ball is put back into play from the sidelines like basketball.
"Three seconds in the key": If an offensive player is in the key for more than 3 seconds, the defensive player may warn the player. An offensive player can receive 2 warnings, after the 3rd warning an automatic turnover occurs. Please note that time starts when the ball crosses half court. Counting should go as follows: "one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand."
When the ball is 'tied up', and a jump ball call is made, the team who lost the opening tip will be awarded possession of the ball (irrelevant of who was on offence or defence). For any subsequent "jump balls", possession will alternate between teams (next jump ball will go to the team who won the opening tip) and continue to switch.
DUNKING IS NOT ALLOWED.

Moving the Ball

A player may take 3 steps with the ball, after which time they must dribble, pass or shoot the ball. Once the ball has been dribbled, a player may take 3 more steps. It is a maximum of 3 steps at any one time.
After a player has taken their steps, they have 4 "stalls" (like "steamboats") to either dribble, pass or shoot the ball. Only the defensive player covering the person with the ball may call the stalls and they must be within 3-4 feet of the person they are counting stalls on. Stalls must be counted out loud "Stall 1, stall 2, stall 3, stall 4, and only when the offensive person is not taking steps. If the ball is not released by the "4" of "stall 4"; the ball is turned over to the defensive team at that spot. When a player gains possession of the ball, the stall count may begin. Once that player begins to take their steps/dribble, the stall count is to stop and resume at Stall 1 once the offensive player has stopped.
No player may contact the ball with their feet for any reason (foot blocking, stopping a ball from going out of bounds etc.). Should this occur, it is a turnover.

Fouls

In general, basketball rules apply to this sport with respect to fouls, with the following highlights:

You must call your own fouls. Be generous with your calls as sportsmanship makes the game much more enjoyable to play.
Whenever a foul is called, the ball is turned over to the non-offending team for a pass (the ball cannot be shot directly at the basket after a foul). If a foul is disputed, the ball should go back to where it was before the foul was called. Only the two players involved with the foul may discuss the situation.
NOBODY CONTACT IS PERMITTED.
You may not strip the ball out of a player's hands while they are holding it.
You may not impede the movement of a player's arm to block a shot or pass
You may not make dangerous plays on defence or offence. You are to make a choice: "Can I play this ball safely?" If the answer is no, then you must "let it go."
If a defensive player is stationary and an offensive player makes contact with their body, an offensive foul has occurred (like a charge in basketball). If a defensive player steps into an offensive player a defensive foul has occurred.
Picks are not allowed. Any time an offensive player --either intentionally or unintentionally-- sheds their defender by running around another player or by having a player block their path, a foul has occurred. Play is stopped and the defender is allowed to regain position with their player. Possession does not change when this occurs.

Regular Season Matches

Games can be tied during the regular season.

Playoffs Eligibility and Tiebreak

There must be a winner in a playoff match. In the event that the match ends in a tie, teams will partake in the following tie-breaker until a winner is determined:

In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a three-minute overtime period. If still tied, the game continues without a stoppage until the next point is scored (sudden death). Please note that playoff games should only be 50 minutes in length in anticipation of needing the extra time to settle a tie.

Rough Play

Any rough or physical play will result in immediate expulsion from further league play and may result in a lifetime league expulsion. Please see the JAM General Policy for our official guidelines on this subject. It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable; however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.

Please note that on-site staff members have full autonomy when supervising games. Games may be stopped entirely, players may be asked to leave the playing area or be removed from the game entirely under their discretion.

Alcohol

There are absolutely no alcoholic beverages permitted on JAM property. Any offenders will be asked to leave the league without refund. No exceptions.