Most men's basketball leagues are competitive, and many people continue to play the sport into their 50s and beyond. Basketball is a great cardiovascular exercise and many play the sport to get in better shape, others play for the competition. Most men's leagues follow the rules established by the National Federation of High Schools.
Contact
Basketball is officially a noncontact sport, but there is always a lot of banging going on, particularly under the backboard when competitors are going after rebounds. Officials will allow some competition for space and some jostling, but you cannot hit your opponent with a shoulder, forearm or knee. You cannot put your hands on the dribbler and you can't hit the shooter when he is letting go of a shot. A shooting foul results in two free throws for the player if the original shot did not go in. If the shot was successful however, the player gets one free throw. Once a team has accumulated five fouls in a quarter, it is awarded free throws for every additional foul, whether the player was shooting or not. These are similar to the rules used in high school basketball.
Disputed Calls
There are mistakes made at every level of basketball when it comes to the referees and that includes the recreational level. PortlandBasketball.com administers several recreational leagues. Its policy states that there can be no arguing or disputing any calls and that all calls stand. If a coach or a captain wants to dispute a call, he may take it up with the league in private the next day. However, there will be no confrontations or arguments.
Uniforms
In a recreational men's basketball league, players are required to wear uniforms. All uniforms for a team must match. Each player is required to bring his own team uniform to each game. The team captain is required to bring two extra uniforms according to PortlandBasketball.com for players who have forgotten theirs.
