2025-26 SEASON OFFICIAL RULE BOOK
Apply to all SGB Tournaments
Apply to all SGB Tournaments
FORMAT: Four quarters, 10 minutes each.
TIMEOUTS: Each team has TWO timeouts per half. Each timeout is 60 seconds. Timeouts do NOT carry over from the first half to the second."
BONUS: The opposing team will shoot two free throws ON the 5th team foul (so after the 4th team foul, the next one will be bonus). There is no 1-and-1 rule.
STOP CLOCK: Running clock except the last 2 min of the fourth quarter.
QUARTER BREAK: 1 Min; HALF-TIME BREAK: 3 Min (SGB may adjust the break time in the event of significant delayed)
OT: 2 min OT is applied with a stop clock.
SHOT CLOCK: SGB will use a physical 30-second shot clock for all games. The shot clock shall reset to 30 seconds under standard NCAA Women’s Basketball conditions. No 20-second partial reset.
COACH'S CHALLENGE: Each team will have ONE Coach’s Challenge for ONLY score errors or incorrectly recorded fouls/timeouts. The team cannot challenge anything that is a referee’s judgement call. See below for details.
READ OFFICIAL JERSEY POLICY BELOW: No taping; the entire team must provide matching, clearly distinguishable light/dark jerseys. Non-compliant players may be ineligible to play, and violations may result in a 4-point penalty per game or a USD $50 team fine.
Missing Jersey / Severely Mismatched Jersey --> Do not allow to play (No Taping)
Resolution: Team may use official SGB jersey with a $50 penalty per game (cap $100 per team)
Jersey Number Mismatch / Shorts Violation (bright/disturbing colors) --> Penalty 4pts, the player may continue to play
Home = Light Jersey; Away = Dark Jersey
2025-26 SEASON EVENT COMMITTEE
Lin Yang, Event Committee Co-lead
Charlotte Hu, Event Committee Co-lead
Lily Jiang, Event Manager
2025-26 SEASON TOURNAMENT ADVISORY BOARD
Ethan Nam, Co-commissioner of JP League
Jack Lau, New York Lady Rockits Coach, IAABO certified referee
Kailey Boyd, Assistant Director of Athletics, The Nightingale-Bamford School
2025-26 SEASON PLAYER ADVISORY BOARD
Jiayi Lu, University of Michigan
Nafeisha Aini, University of Southern California
Xiaodong Zhang, Duke University
Zhao Li, Boston Funwee
Latest Update: November 2025
The She Got Buckets (SGB) Chinese Women’s College Basketball League exists to promote high-level competition, personal growth, teamwork, and sportsmanship among collegiate women in China and North America. These Official Rules and Guidelines govern the administration and conduct of gameplay for the 2025–2026 season.
All participants, coaches, team representatives, and officials are responsible for reading and understanding these rules before competition. Unless otherwise specified, any matter not covered in this document shall follow the 2025–26 SGB Women’s Basketball Rules Book. SGB reserves the right of final interpretation and may issue supplemental clarifications for any event or tournament.
For questions, please contact: info@shegotbuckets.org
1. Number of Player
Before the start of the match, when the number of players present for a team is equal to or greater than 4, the match will proceed according to the scheduled start time. If at the scheduled start time a team is not present or has fewer than 4 players, the team with fewer players must wait until the fourth player arrives at the venue before the match can proceed. During this period, the match time will still start counting down according to the original schedule. For every minute of delay, the opposing team earns 1 point. If by the end of the first half a team cannot reach 4 players, that team will be judged to have lost with a score of 0:20.
During the match, if a team has fewer than 5 players ready to play on the court due to player injuries or other reasons, but still has 2 or more players, the match will continue. If there are fewer than 2 players, the team should forfeit the match due to insufficient players. If the team judged to be winning at the time of the match's interruption, their score at the moment of interruption shall stand. If the team judged to be winning is not leading, the score shall be recorded as 2:0 in favor of the opposing team.
Withdrawal: If a team withdraws from the match temporarily, their opponent will win with a score of 20:0.
2. Uniform Requirements
See Official Jersey Policy Below.
3. Bench Conduct
Only the head coach is permitted to address game officials or the scorers’ table regarding rule interpretations, administrative matters, timing concerns, or corrections.
Assistant coaches, bench personnel, and players may not communicate with officials or table staff during the game except when authorized.
Failure to comply with this policy may result in a bench technical foul assessed to the offending team. All teams are expected to maintain professional decorum consistent with the principles of sportsmanship.
4. Substitution Procedure
All substitutes must report to the scorers’ table prior to entering the game and shall not step onto the court until beckoned by the officials. Failure to follow proper reporting procedures shall result in a team warning for the first violation.
Any subsequent violation shall result in a team technical foul. A substitute who enters without proper authorization during a live ball or dead-ball situation shall be subject to a delay-of-game penalty.
5. Gym Conduct
Food and Drink: Unless permitted by the facilities, please refrain from bringing food/drinks inside the gymnasium. In addition, please throw all garbage in their proper receptacles. Repeated violations will be penalized accordingly at the discretion of the SGB Team.
5. Check-In
All players must present photo identification (passport, driver’s license, or photo student ID) at check-in. ID must match the name on the roster. Players who do not complete check-in will not be permitted to participate.
1. Game Format
Beginning with the 2025–2026 season, SGB will adopt the four-quarter format used in SGB Women’s Basketball. Quarter length, game timing structure, and interval procedures shall follow SGB-modified standards. The league has incorporated sufficient timeouts and timing allowances to support the transition to this quarter-based system and ensure smooth administration of the game.
In summary:
FORMAT: Four quarters, 10 minutes each.
TIMEOUTS: Each team has TWO timeouts per half. Each timeout is 60 seconds. Timeouts do NOT carry over from the first half to the second."
BONUS: The opposing team will shoot two free throws ON the 5th team foul (so after the 4th team foul, the next one will be bonus). There is no 1-and-1 rule.
STOP CLOCK: Running clock except the last 2 min of the fourth quarter.
QUARTER BREAK: 1 Min; HALF-TIME BREAK: 3 Min (SGB may adjust the break time in the event of significant delayed)
OT: 2 min OT is applied with a stop clock.
SHOCK CLOCK: SGB will use a physical 30-second shot clock for all games. The shot clock shall reset to 30 seconds under standard NCAA Women’s Basketball conditions. No 20-second partial reset.
COACH'S CHALLENGE: Each team will have ONE Coach’s Challenge for ONLY score errors or incorrectly recorded fouls/timeouts. The team cannot challenge anything that is a referee’s judgement call. See below for details.
READ OFFICIAL JERSEY POLICY BELOW: No taping; the entire team must provide matching, clearly distinguishable light/dark jerseys.
2. Shot Clock
SGB will use a physical 30-second shot clock for all games.
The shot clock shall reset to 30 seconds under standard NCAA Women’s Basketball conditions.
** In future, SGB may adopt a 20-second partial reset in situations where the offensive team retains possession following an offensive rebound or any designated event that warrants a shortened shot clock reset. The 20-second reset shall be applied consistently in accordance with league administration and officiating guidelines.
3. Timeouts
Each team shall be granted TWO 60-second timeouts per half, and timeouts shall not carry over from the first half to the second half.
During each overtime period, a team shall receive one 60-second timeout, in addition to any unused timeouts remaining from the second half.
During the final 59.9 seconds of the fourth quarter or of any overtime period, if a team in legal backcourt possession calls a timeout before the ball has been advanced into the frontcourt, that team may elect to inbound the ball at the 28-foot mark on either sideline. The advance-the-ball option may be used only once per team.
4. Game Administration & Statistics
A central statistics table shall maintain the official scorebook and serve as the authoritative record for score, fouls, timeouts, and game data. Each team shall maintain its own stat sheet for verification and comparison.
5. Coach’s Challenge
Each team will have ONE Coach’s Challenge for ONLY score errors or incorrectly recorded fouls/timeouts. The team cannot challenge anything that is a referee’s judgement call.
The teams hold the responsibility to confirm the score and
To call the challenge, the team must show YOUR COPY of the score sheet. Without it, the challenge cannot be initiated.
A team may challenge without needing a timeout. If the challenge is unsuccessful and the team has no timeouts, the team is charged an Excessive Timeout Technical Foul.
When a Coach’s Challenge is initiated, the game will enter a one-minute review period. The stats table will review the situation internally and may use video if available.
The stats table may extend the Coach’s Challenge review period to a maximum of three minutes. If the table cannot reach a consensus decision within three minutes, the referee will make the final determination regarding the outcome of the challenge.
1. Correctable Errors
Correctable errors involving timing malfunctions, score discrepancies, or timeout-counting errors shall be administered in accordance with SGB-modified procedures.
Officials may consult the official scorebook, the team’s version of the book, or video recordings when necessary to determine the correct outcome.
Corrections shall be made as soon as the error is identified and verified.
2. Administrative Stoppages
When play is interrupted for administrative purposes—including injury timeout, scorebook review, Coach’s Challenge review, or timing correction—the game shall resume at the Point of Interruption unless specific league procedures mandate an alternative inbound location.
Advance-the-ball situations shall follow the conditions and restrictions outlined in Section II.
3. Delay Situations
Administrative delays necessary to ensure accuracy of timing, scoring, or stat-keeping shall not result in penalty unless the delay is deemed intentional or unsporting by the officials.
Delays at the start of the game or during player check-in shall be handled under the grace-period and free-throw penalty structure detailed in Section V.
1. Personal Fouls
Each player receives FIVE (5) PERSONAL FOULS for the game. A personal foul shall involve illegal contact that affects the opponent’s freedom of movement, balance, speed, or rhythm.
The principles of legal guarding position, verticality, and displacement shall apply as defined under SGB Women’s Basketball standards.
2. Technical Fouls
Technical Fouls will follow NCAA Women’s Basketball Rule
Technical fouls may be assessed for illegal substitution procedure, bench misconduct, unsporting behavior, improper communication with the table, delay of game, or uniform violations.
Penalties shall be administered according to SGB-modified technical foul procedure.
3. Flagrant Fouls
Flagrant fouls will be penalized in accordance with the NCAA Rules of Play.
Flagrant fouls will be reviewed by the Committee and may result in a player disqualification from the tournament.
A flagrant foul is defined as excessive or severe contact or behavior that poses danger to an opponent or violates the spirit of sportsmanship.
A player assessed a flagrant foul shall be disqualified from the contest. Additional league discipline may be issued at the discretion of SGB.
4. Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct—including taunting, verbal abuse, disrespect toward officials, or actions that escalate conflict—shall be penalized in accordance with SGB standards. Officials may issue technical fouls or eject individuals as necessary to maintain the integrity of the game.
Teams are responsible for preparing uniforms in advance and reminding all players to bring the correct jerseys and verify registered numbers.
If you are a first-time tournament participant, the easiest and most cost-effective option is to search “reversible numbered pinnies” on Amazon. Typical pricing is around $40 for a 12-jersey set.
All players must comply with the following baseline uniform rules:
Players must wear the exact jersey number registered with SGB
No taping, stickers, markers, or temporary number alterations
Numbers must be permanent, clean, and clearly visible
Teams must provide matching Light and Dark jerseys
Home Team → Light (White)
Away Team → Dark
Failure to meet these requirements may result in penalties or loss of playing eligibility depending on the event.
This policy is not profit-driven. Penalties exist solely to:
Encourage teams to prepare properly so no player is prevented from competing
Maintain competitive fairness
Compensate the opposing team when uniform issues cause disadvantage
Support administrative and statistics operations
Teams must have mostly matching jersey colors
Minor design or shade differences are allowed
Jerseys must be clearly identifiable as one team
The Referee and the Stats Table has final authority to determine whether jerseys are sufficiently matching.
If jerseys are deemed severely non-uniform, corrective action or penalties may apply.
Each player must wear the same jersey number used during registration for all games.
Number changes must be reported to SGB before the final roster deadline.
Regular SGB Games prioritize participation while maintaining fairness and clarity.
If a player:
Does not have a jersey, or
Wears a jersey with significant design differences or inconsistent colors compared to the team (as determined by the Referee/Stats Table)
Playing Eligibility:
The player is not allowed to participate while wearing the non-compliant jersey
Resolution Option:
The team may choose to pay USD $50 per team, per game
The player may then participate only by wearing an official SGB jersey (numbers 1–12)
SGB jerseys are provided solely to ensure the game can proceed smoothly.
Jersey availability is not guaranteed and is subject to availability.
If a player:
Wears a jersey number different from the official roster, or
Wears shorts that are overly flashy or inconsistent and cause confusion for the Stats Table or the opposing team (as determined by the Stats Table)
Playing Eligibility:
The player may continue to participate after the penalty is assessed.
Penalty:
4 points per player, per game
If the Stats Table determines that a team’s jerseys are severely non-uniform:
The team may be required to change jerseys as a whole
SGB may provide official SGB jerseys (numbers 1–12) for temporary use
Penalty:
USD $50 per team, per game
SGB jerseys are provided solely to ensure the game can proceed smoothly.
Jersey availability is not guaranteed and is subject to availability.
This policy is not profit-driven. Penalties exist solely to: Encourage teams to prepare properly so no player is prevented from competing; Maintain competitive fairness; Support administrative and statistics operations
Fines are capped at $100 per team through the whole tournament
The National Final enforces higher uniform standards to ensure professionalism and accurate statistics.
Each team must bring:
One Light set and one Dark set
Identical jersey style
Printed numbers on both front and back
SGB will prepare black-and-white official jerseys (numbers 1–12) for emergency use.
Intended only for registered players who forgot their jersey
Teams may choose to use the jersey to allow participation
Regular SGB Game penalties apply
Jerseys must be returned immediately after the game
Failure to return the jersey will result in replacement charges.
No borrowing a teammate’s jersey
Jerseys must be clean, readable, and professional
The Stats Table, referees, and SGB staff have final authority on:
Jersey color and uniformity
Number visibility
Penalty enforcement
All decisions are final.
DISCLAIMER
All specific in-game rulings shall be subject to the judgment and discretion of the officiating referees. The She Got Buckets (SGB) League retains the sole and final right of interpretation for all rules and policies contained in this document. Depending on the nature, level, or operational needs of a given event, SGB may implement adjustments or provide event-specific clarifications to certain provisions.
Prior to competition, SGB will issue captain’s instructions and staff instructions to highlight points of emphasis and ensure consistent rule administration.Any rules or procedures not expressly addressed in this Rulebook shall follow the most recent edition of the SGB Women’s Basketball Rules, which can be accessed at: https://ncaapublications.com/products/2025-26-and-2026-27-ncaa-womens-basketball-rules-book-online-only