3-on-3 Basketball Rules: Adult Half-Court Template

Why a written 3-on-3 basketball rulebook matters

3-on-3 basketball moves fast, and the rules differ from full-court ball in ways that cause arguments every weekend. Possession after a made basket. Whether the ball has to clear past the arc. How long the shot clock is. Whether you score 1-and-2 like FIBA or 2-and-3 like the NBA. Six players cannot agree on those mid-game.

Write your rules before the season. Print a one-page summary. Hand it to every captain. The arguments end the moment someone points at the page.

This template covers FIBA 3x3 standards and the most common variations adult half-court leagues run. Customize anything in [brackets].

3-on-3 basketball rules at a glance

1. Teams of [3 on the court] with up to [1 substitute] per team
2. One basket on a half-court; no full-court play
3. Game ends when a team scores [21 points] or after [10 minutes], whichever comes first
4. Scoring (FIBA): [1 point inside the arc, 2 points outside]; rec variant uses [2 and 3]
5. [12-second shot clock]; if no clock is available, defense calls a stalling violation at [10 seconds]
6. After every made basket or change of possession, the ball clears past the [two-point arc] before scoring counts
7. Coin flip determines first possession
8. Personal fouls cap at [5 per player] in adult play; team fouls 7+ trigger free throws
9. Overtime: first team to score [2 points] wins

For the broader basketball framework these 3v3 rules sit on top of, see our adult basketball rec rules.

Court and equipment

• Court size: [15m x 11m] (FIBA standard) or [half of a standard 5v5 court]
• One basket at regulation [10 ft / 3.05m] height
• Two-point arc: [6.75m / 22 ft] from the center of the basket
• Free-throw line: [5.80m / 19 ft]
• Ball: official FIBA 3x3 ball is size 6 weight with size 7 circumference; [a standard size 7 ball is acceptable]
• Visible scoreboard or scorekeeper required; teams must agree on the score after every basket if no board

The 15m x 11m FIBA court matches the same width as a full FIBA court, so any standard 5v5 half-court works fine for league play. Outdoor courts often have a painted three-point line at NBA distance instead of the FIBA arc; pick one and stick with it for the season.

Game format and time limits

• Regular time: [a single 10-minute period] (FIBA) or [first to 21 with a 15-minute time cap] (typical adult)
• A team wins by reaching [21 points] before time expires
• If neither team reaches 21 in regular time, the team leading when the clock hits zero wins
• Tied at end of regulation: overtime
• Overtime format: [first team to score 2 points wins]; no time limit on overtime

Hard 21 with a 15-minute cap is the most common adult format because it keeps games to a predictable 15-20 minutes, which matters when you are running multiple games per court per night.

Roster rules

• Standard team: [3 starters + 1 substitute]
• Minimum players to start: [3]
• Roster lock: [end of week 2 of regular season]
• Playoff eligibility: must appear in [50% of regular season games]
• A player may be rostered on only one team per division

Substitutes

• Substitutes enter only when the ball is dead, between possessions
• A sub may enter through verbal communication with the official or scorekeeper; no horn required
• League-wide pickup pool [is allowed in regular season] but [not allowed during playoffs]
• A sub cannot be rostered on another team in the same league

Scoring system

Pick one scoring version before the season and publish it.

FIBA 3x3 scoring (official):

• Field goal inside the arc: [1 point]
• Field goal beyond the [6.75m arc]: [2 points]
• Free throw: [1 point each]

Traditional half-court scoring (rec variant):

• Field goal inside the arc: [2 points]
• Field goal beyond the arc: [3 points]
• Free throw: [1 point each]

FIBA scoring rewards perimeter play and keeps games at the official 21-point total. Traditional 2-and-3 scoring is what most pickup runs use. Both work. Pick one and put it in writing because mid-game switches always favor whoever is winning.

Possession rules

This is the single most-disputed area in 3-on-3 basketball rules:

• After a made basket, the defensive team takes possession
• The ball must be cleared by [dribbling or passing past the two-point arc] before any scoring attempt counts
• Clearing means both the ball and the offensive player are behind the arc; one foot inside the arc means the ball is not cleared
• After a defensive rebound, the ball must be cleared past the arc before the next shot
• Made free throw: defensive team takes possession; [no clearing required on a single made FT]
• Out-of-bounds: throw-in from the [top of the arc], not the sideline

Some pickup leagues use make-it-take-it, where the team that scores keeps possession until they miss. This is fun for pickup, painful for league play because one hot team scores 8 in a row before the other team touches the ball. Default to FIBA-style change-of-possession for league games.

Fouls and free throws

• Personal foul on a 1-point shot: [1 free throw]
• Personal foul on a 2-point shot: [2 free throws]
• Made shot + foul: basket counts plus [1 free throw]
• Team fouls 1-6: free throws only on shooting fouls
• Team fouls 7-9: [2 free throws on every defensive foul]
• Team fouls 10+: [2 free throws + possession]
• Personal foul-out: [individuals do not foul out under FIBA 3x3]; adult leagues commonly impose [5 fouls = foul out]

The team-foul ladder is the FIBA enforcement mechanism in lieu of individual foul-outs. It punishes physical teams without losing players to disqualification, which matters when each team only has 4 total bodies.

Shot clock and stalling

• FIBA 3x3 uses a [12-second shot clock]
• Most adult leagues do not have a clock available; use the [10-second stalling rule]
• The defensive player calls "stalling" if the offense holds the ball for [10 seconds without attempting a play]
• Three stalling warnings against one team in a single game: [turnover plus a team foul]
• Shot clock resets on a defensive foul, kicked ball, or a shot that hits the rim

Technical fouls

• Standard NBA-style technical: [2 in one game = ejection]; [4 across the season = 1-game suspension]
• Each technical results in [1 free throw plus possession] for the opposing team
• Unsportsmanlike fouls (intentional, flagrant) count as personal fouls and team fouls

Standings and tiebreakers

Win-loss record is primary. When teams are tied:

1. Head-to-head record
2. Point differential (capped at +/- [10] per game)
3. Points scored
4. Coin flip

Cap the differential. A 21-3 win should not weigh more in tiebreakers than five close victories.

Playoffs

• Top [4 of 6] or [6 of 8] teams advance
• Single elimination bracket
• No time limits in playoff games: [first to 21 only], win by [2]
• Reseeding optional after each round
• No substitutes from outside the rostered team during playoffs

Coed modifications

• Minimum [1 woman on the court at all times]
• Optional: [women's baskets count for an extra point] or [no scoring modifier]
• Some leagues require both genders to touch the ball on a possession before a shot can be taken
• Defenders matched by gender [is encouraged but not enforced]

Coed 3-on-3 is harder to balance than coed 5v5 because there are fewer players to rotate. The simplest fix is requiring 1 woman on the court at all times. Anything more aggressive and rosters become hard to fill week to week.

Mercy rule and forfeits

• Mercy rule: [up by 11 or more points after 7 minutes] = game ends
• Forfeit: a team that fails to field [3 players within 5 minutes of game time] forfeits
• Forfeit counts as a [21-0 loss] in standings
• [2 forfeits = ineligible for playoffs]
• No refunds for forfeited games

Rosterlytic tracks forfeits and applies them to standings automatically — commissioners set the threshold once and the system enforces it across the season.

Code of conduct

• Fighting. Immediate ejection and [1-game suspension]. Second offense: season ban.
• Trash talk. Allowed in good humor. Personal attacks, slurs, and threats are not.
• Referee abuse. Verbal abuse of officials = technical foul. Severe abuse = ejection.
• Self-officiated games. Most adult 3-on-3 is self-officiated. Captains rule on disputed calls; if no agreement, replay the possession.

Self-officiated 3-on-3 works as long as both captains agree on the rulebook before tipoff. Argue once, replay, move on. Three replays in a single game is a sign your captains are not reading the rules.

Outdoor 3v3 basketball rules

Outdoor 3-on-3 basketball rules add a few wrinkles:

• Wind: commissioner cancels games for sustained winds [over 25 mph]
• Lightning: [10-mile radius rule] — clear the court, resume after [30 minutes]
• Wet courts: [delay 30 minutes, then call] because wet outdoor courts cause injuries
• Surface: asphalt and concrete are standard; sport tile is preferred when available
• Ball: an [outdoor-specific rubber or composite ball] holds up better than indoor leather
• Shoes: outdoor-specific basketball shoes are recommended; indoor shoes wear out fast on asphalt

Frequently asked questions

Is 3-on-3 basketball played on a full court? No. 3-on-3 is a half-court format. Both teams attack and defend the same basket. FIBA's official 3x3 court is 15m x 11m, but any standard 5v5 half-court works for league play.

What is the time limit for a 3-on-3 game? FIBA 3x3 games are a single 10-minute period, or first to 21 points, whichever comes first. Most adult leagues use a 15-minute running clock with a hard 21 cap for scheduling reasons.

Do 3-on-3 games go to overtime if tied? Yes. Overtime is first to score 2 points in FIBA 3x3 play. There is no time limit on overtime.

Can you dunk in 3-on-3 basketball? Yes, dunking is legal at every official level. Some adult leagues add a no-dunking modification for liability or court-condition reasons; if your league does, write it into the rules explicitly.

Where can I find a printable 3 on 3 basketball rules PDF? The full FIBA 3x3 rulebook is published as a PDF on fiba3x3.com. Most adult leagues build a one-page printable summary from this template — fill in your bracketed values and print one copy per captain.

Rosterlytic generates round robin schedules for 3-on-3 leagues automatically — pick your teams, pick a date range, and it produces balanced matchups with even time slot distribution.

Amendments

These 3-on-3 basketball rules may be amended by the commissioner between seasons. Mid-season changes require written notification to all captains before they take effect. No retroactive rule changes once a game has started.

Using this template

Copy this document into your league rulebook. Customize every [bracketed] value. The three decisions that prevent the most disputes in 3-on-3 are: scoring system (FIBA 1-and-2 vs traditional 2-and-3), shot clock or stalling rule, and possession rules after a made basket. Get those three published before week one.

For season setup, scheduling, and fee collection, see our basketball league guide. For the broader basketball framework, see our adult basketball rec rules. More resources on the basketball hub.