Wheelchair Basketball Rules

Governing Rules

The rules of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) will apply in all situations, except where a special Oregon State University Intramurals rule applies. Rules of Team Balance will not apply.

Eligibility

  • All participants must be either students registered at Oregon State University or Faculty/Staff/Affiliate with a Recreational Sports Membership. For more information on eligibility, consult the Intramurals Handbook.
  • No individual who is on a roster of a varsity intercollegiate squad (including red-shirts) or who is on athletic scholarship (at OSU or an institution of comparable athletic stature) at the time of a regularly scheduled intercollegiate contest, or who joins those teams after the start of the intramural season, shall play on an intramural team in that sport or related sport the remainder of that year plus one full academic year.
  • Persons practicing or working out with the team who are not on the official roster will be governed by our OSU Sport Club Members participation rules.

Pre-Game

  • All participants will need to bring their ID card to enter the facility.
  • Team managers must fill out jersey numbers of players participating in that night’s game. If a player is not currently printed on the score sheet, the player must see a sport program associate to gain approval before playing. Players will need their ID to be added.
  • Team managers need to check in with the sport program associate on duty before each game to verify their team’s roster.
  • Team managers will also take part in a meeting with the officials 5 minutes prior to game time.
  • Teams must have jerseys with numbers (each player must have their own number). Team jerseys may be checked out at Equipment Issue or with the sport program associate on site.

Uniforms and Equipment

  • No jewelry (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc.) will be allowed on the court at any time. Players will need to remove items immediately or leave the game. Appropriate athletic attire is required.
  • Mouth guards for each player are recommended for your protection.
  • No shoes that leave black or scuff marks on the court will be permitted. Athletic, closed-toe shoes must also be worn. No boots or sandals.
  • No hats are allowed.
  • No braces or supports that may cause other players harm will be permitted.
  • Team jerseys must have numbers on the front and back. Mesh numbered jerseys will be available at the game site to check out for teams without their own jerseys. If a team uses jerseys provided by Recreational Sports, then players must wear a shirt under their jerseys (no tank tops). It will be the responsibility of the player who checks out the jerseys to make sure they all get returned or be charged a replacement fee.
  • Wheelchairs will be provided by Recreational Sports.
  • Teams must provide their own game ball. Basketballs may be checked out from Equipment Issue in the Dixon Recreation Center.

Game Time

  • Game time listed on the schedule is the official game time.
  • Scorekeepers will keep the official game time using the scoreboard on the court.
  • Teams are allowed to have four players on the court at one time.
  • You must have three (3) players on the court ready for play at game time; otherwise a forfeit will be awarded to the opposing team.
  • The clock will not stop in the first half except for timeouts, injuries, official’s timeouts, and unexpected delays in the game.
  • The game will stop and will be called like a normal wheelchair basketball game in the last two minutes of the second half, stopping on all dead ball situations, but not after a made basket.

Playing Time

  • The game will consist of two 15-minute halves.
  • A five-minute intermission will separate the halves.
  • The clock will stop only during the last two minutes of each game.
  • In the last two minutes of the game, time will be stopped for the following reasons: fouls, timeouts, violations, free throws, injuries, any dead ball, and at the discretion of the officials.
  • Substitutions: Players may substitute on any dead ball. Players must report to the scorekeeper who will alert the officials. Failure to do so could result in a technical foul being assessed for illegal substitution.
  • Free throws: Free throws will be administered using NWBA rules. Players are allowed into the lane when the ball hits the rim. The large wheels of the chair must be behind and not over the free throw line. The point of contact for the large wheels of the chair with the floor must be behind the free throw line; however, the front casters may be on or over the line.
  • Mercy rule: If the team is down by 15 or more points with two (2) or less minutes to go in the game, the clock will not stop. If a lead becomes less than 15 points, then the clock will begin stopping.
  • Back court press: Teams may pressure the ball in the backcourt. However, if a team leads by 15 or more, they cannot press.
  • Game over: At the completion of the game each manager must sign the score sheets.

Time-Outs

  • Each team is allowed one time-out per half. They are not cumulative.
  • One 30-second time-out will be allowed during an overtime period.
  • The game clock will stop during time-outs.
  • Time-outs are one minute in length unless it is overtime.

Jump Ball

  • The game starts with a jump ball between two players at center court.
  • Each jumper shall be firmly seated in their chair and shall have all wheels inside the half circle opposite their basket.
  • The official will throw the ball evenly between the two players, and players may tap the ball to a teammate to control possession after the ball reaches its highest point.
  • If the ball lands on a jumper or is not touched, the official will toss the ball again.

Dribbling

  • Players must dribble the ball once for every 2 pushes or pulls of their wheelchair.
  • Taking more than two pushes/pulls without dribbling shall result in a traveling violation.
  • A push or pull of the wheelchair can consist of either one or two hands (player preference).
    • A push or pull will be defined as a closed hand on the wheel which guides the chair forward or backward.
  • A pivot takes place when a player, who is holding the ball, turns the chair to the left or right in a given place without specific direction. A pivot does not count toward a dribble. A pivot can take place only when:
    1. By a player who is in motion braking one of the wheels without forward or backward direction to the wheels. This is not a push and therefore could occur after the player with the ball has pushed two times.
    2. By a player who has not yet utilized two pushes, pushing with both hands simultaneously in opposite directions.
  • There is no penalty for double dribble, as players are allowed to rest the ball in their lap between dribbles.

Contact

The chair is considered part of the player. General rules of contact in regular basketball (charging, blocking, etc.) apply to wheelchair basketball.

Personal Fouls

A player shall not contact an opponent or opponent's wheelchair with his/her hand unless such contact is only with the opponent's hand while it is on the ball and is incidental to an attempt to play the ball. Because of the nature of the game, negligible contact is at the discretion of the officials. Intentional chair contact caused by a player to affect the progress or position of another player is a form of blocking, charging, holding, or pushing. Contact caused by the momentum of a chair by a player who had made no visible effort to stop his/her chair while moving in for a goal is a charge. Contact after the ball is dead is unsporting conduct.

Physical Advantage Fouls (PAFs)

Because of the varying causes and manifestations (degrees) of disability among participants, a basic rule of keeping firmly seated in the wheelchair at all times and not using a functional leg for physical advantage over an opponent is strictly enforced. An infraction of wheelchair basketball rules (rebound, jump ball, etc.) constitutes a physical advantage foul. Three such fouls disqualify a player from the game, according to wheelchair basketball rules. Two free throws are awarded and the ball is given to the opposing team to inbound at the nearest sideline.

Falling

If a player falls out of the chair during play, the officials will immediately suspend play if there is any chance of danger to the fallen player. If not, the officials will withhold their whistles until the particular play in progress has been completed. If a player falls out of the chair to gain possession of the ball or by falling keeps opponents from gaining possession of the ball, the ball is awarded to the opposing team.

Possession

A team loses possession when a player leans forward to the extent that the chair tilts and the footrest or a person’s feet touch the floor while gaining possession, maintaining possession, shooting, or retrieving the ball. A team loses possession if the ball becomes wedged between the footrest and the court. These result in a turnover, and the ball will be inbounded by the other team on the nearest sideline.

Alternate Possessions

  • After the initial toss, the alternate possession control will be awarded to the team not receiving the ball to begin the game.
  • An alternate possession throw-in will result when:
    1. A held ball occurs.
    2. The ball goes out-of-bounds and was last touched simultaneously by 2 opponents.
    3. A double free throw violation occurs.
    4. A live ball lodges on the basket support.
    5. A double personal or double technical foul occurs.
    6. Opponents commit simultaneous personal or technical fouls.
    7. Opponents commit simultaneous goal tending or basket interference violations.
  • The direction of the possession arrow is reversed immediately after an alternating possession throw-in is completed.
  • A jump ball will begin each overtime period. The alternate possession control will be awarded to the team not receiving the ball to begin the period.

Four Second Rule

Because many Intramural Wheelchair Basketball participants are new to the sport, we have extended the amount of time that can be spent in the “three second lane” to four seconds. A player establishes himself/herself outside of the three-second lane by placing all wheels of his/her wheelchair and any anti-tip caster(s) which continuously come into contact with the floor outside of the three-second lane. Spending four seconds will result in a turnover and an inbound of the ball by the opposing team.

Overtime

  • Overtime will be three (3) minutes, with the last minute being stopped time.
  • If the game is still tied after the first overtime, an additional overtime period will be used until a winner has been decided.
  • One thirty (30) second time-out may be taken per overtime period.

Disqualifications

  • Physical Advantage Fouls (PAFs) will be counted toward the total number of personal and team fouls. A player will be disqualified from play when they receive any of the following:
    1. Two (2) direct technicals
    2. Three (3) PAFs
    3. Five (5) total fouls (which may include technical and PAFs)

Ejections

Any player ejected from a game will be immediately suspended from participating in all Intramurals activities. The ejected player must then make an appointment with the Coordinator of Intramurals and Sports Coordinator to determine the length of suspension and any other sanctions. The following actions will result in ejections from Intramural Wheelchair Basketball:

  1. Improper language
  2. Unsporting conduct
  3. Two technical fouls

Conduct

Unsportsmanlike conduct includes actions which are unbecoming to an ethical, fair, and honorable individual. It consists of acts of deceit, disrespect, or vulgarity and includes taunting. Penalty: Technical foul.

Contact: Sport Programs Office, (541) 737-4083, 111 Dixon Recreation Center

Revised: 5/3/2023