How does high school basketball playoffs work

Here's how the NCHSAA basketball playoffs work

Joe Sirera

The NCHSAA will announce its 2022 basketball playoff pairings Saturday after conference tournaments are completed. Here's what you need to know about the playoffs, which begin Feb. 22:

Two teams from each of the six conferences that include area schools get into the playoffs automatically: the regular-season champion and either the second-place finisher or the conference tournament champion if the tournament is won by a team that finished third or lower during the regular season. Here are the top two finishers in each conference after tiebreakers:

BOYS

Central Piedmont 4-A: 1. East Forsyth; 2. Glenn.

Metro 4-A: 1. Grimsley; 2. Ragsdale.

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Mid-Piedmont 3-A: 1. Ledford; 2. Central Davidson.

Mid-State 3-A: 1. Smith; 2. Dudley.

Mid-State 2-A: 1. Morehead; 2. Walkertown.

Northwest 1-A: 1. Winston-Salem Prep; 2. Bishop McGuinness.

GIRLS

Central Piedmont 4-A: 1. East Forsyth; 2. Reagan.

Metro 4-A: 1. Northern Guilford; 2. Southwest Guilford.

Mid-Piedmont 3-A: 1. North Davidson; 2. Oak Grove.

Mid-State 3-A: 1. Smith; 2. Atkins.

Mid-State 2-A: 1. Andrews; 2. West Stokes.

Northwest 1-A: 1. Bishop McGuinness; 2. N.C. Leadership Academy.

Once all the automatic qualifiers are placed in the West bracket in each of the four classifications, each 32-team bracket will be filled based on the MaxPreps boys and girls RPI rankings.

There are no byes in the playoffs, so a team must win six games to claim a state championship. 

The higher seed will be the home team through the regional finals, which are scheduled for March 5, unless the NCHSAA deems a regional final site to be too small or "inadequate" and moves the game to a neutral site. State championship games will be played March 12 at either the Smith Center in Chapel Hill or Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

All games will be streamed live on the NFHS Network, which charges a one-time subscription fee of $10.99 per month.

Contact Joe Sirera at 336-373-7034 and follow @JoeSireraSports on Twitter.

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Some conference tournaments begin Monday, and the NCISAA state tournaments tip off Tuesday.

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How Long is High School Basketball Season?

Are you interested in knowing how long is high school basketball season? If you are a student-athlete or a student-athlete parent, this is a fundamental question to get answered. Many things need to get done in preparation for the high school basketball season for everyone involved, and it is crucial to know the length and start and end dates of the basketball season so that you can prepare accordingly. 

We understand all of this, and we would like you to get all the necessary information to organize your family for the upcoming season properly. In our article today, we will be reviewing all information needed for the high school basketball season, such as the start time, duration, and stages of the season. 

Hit the gym basketball at any level can be a very physically demanding sport, so players that are stronger and faster usually excel the most. When we say hit the gym, we don’t mean that teenagers should try to get as big as The Rock.

What we’re saying is try to get in the gym at least three times a week if you are serious about being a basketball player. Spending time in the gym will help to increase your strength and ability to compete in a physical way with your opponents.

Hit the tracks

Try to jog and run as much as you can in the offseason to improve your cardio. Doing cardio activities will help you to not get tired on the court because your conditioning will be good. You can run with your friends or teammates or even by yourself during the offseason. You can run on the tracks in your community or school or even on your neighborhood streets.

Talk to your coach

Try to speak to your coaches so that you can understand what type of players and they are looking for the next season. Talking to your coaches will help you understand the player they want you to be, and then you will know what to work on. This will help you get more playing time to showcase your talent for potential scouts.

Hit the court

Try to do practice in the offseason with your friends or teammates, if possible. The more you practice with your teammates, the more chemistry you will develop, which will also help raise your talent level.

Try to work on fundamental drills as well so that you can be an all-round asset to your team when the season begins. In addition to practicing on the court with your friends and the teammates, try to join any regional tournaments available in your area to get a feel of the competition and get a competitive edge for the upcoming season.

Watch films

Watching game films will not only help you to learn new moves, but it will also improve the ones that you already have. Watching films allow you to understand plays better and also see the game from a coach’s perspective. These are positive things that can make you a better contributor to your team when the new season starts. 

This is a tricky question to answer. Basketball is considered to be a winter sport, however, the length of the season the last well beyond the winter if your team progresses far in competitions. The season starts in the winter around November and will last well into March in some states and April in others.  

Basketball seasons are scheduled around different things at different schools. Some schools schedule basketball around the other academic requirements of their student-athletes and in other states, schools will schedule the basketball season around spring sports or a combination of other sports and the students’ academic responsibilities. 

Even though basketball is considered a winter sport, some leagues occur outside of school that students can participate in, and these leagues start before the winter. These leagues are good to help build a player’s game so that when they start playing in the high school competition, they would have progressed further than their opponents. 

Some leagues go on after the official High School tournament ends, and these are also good leagues for students to participate in, given that they had sufficient rest after the high school league. Parents should pay close attention to the times that these leagues are happening and monitor their children’s participation so that they don’t overexert their bodies in too many competitions.  

For the high school basketball season, teams usually compete in the district tournaments to advance to Regional tournaments and then onto state tournaments. Throughout the course of the season, teams usually practice four to five times a week for around two hours a day. Coaches focus on different drills geared towards improving coordination, offense, defense, footwork, and so on. 

Teams usually hold film sessions before practices one to two times each week, and those may last up to 20 minutes, sometimes more. Some coaches will also do strength training exercises one to two times per week with the team. Teams usually play two games each week, depending on their states and where they are in the tournament. 

For the high school basketball season, in most states, the high school basketball season starts in November. To get the exact basketball season dates, check with your team officials. Even though the high school basketball season begins in November, some teams may play games before this. These games are usually practice games, or even squad matches to help a team get ready for the upcoming season.  

If you are a parent, you should know that even though the official season starts in November, your child should be preparing for the season way before this. Try to get your child into the gym and on the track if they are serious about playing basketball. 

Ensure that your child is also eating and resting properly to get their body right for the season. Nutrition is vital. Players who try to prepare themselves for the season before it starts are usually ahead of the competition when the season starts.

Basketball is a sport that requires a lot of commitment. If you want to make it through a successful season, there are some things that you need to make sure that you are doing. Let’s take a look at some of the things that players needed to ensure that they are doing correctly in order to have successful seasons.

Time Table

Create a timetable so that you are entirely organized throughout the season. If you are a parent, try to ensure that you have your child’s practices and games on a timetable so that you can form a structure that supports school work and any other extracurricular activities.
Creating a timetable will allow you as a student-athlete to have enough time to study, rest, and do other things in an organized way outside of the hectic basketball season.

Rest 

Proper and sufficient rest is critical for any athlete. Basketball is a very demanding sport both physically and mentally, so your body will need to rest adequately before and after games, practices, and workouts.

If you do not rest your muscles, they get more susceptible to be damaged and will not recover sufficiently after games, exercises, and practices. Make sure that you get as much sleep as you can so that you can have a clear mind, game day. Resting is also essential because you are a student-athlete, and you need enough rest to focus on your studies.

Nutrition

Nutrition is another extremely important aspect of an athlete’s life. If your body cannot obtain all the nutrients it needs to rebuild and grow, you can hurt yourself. If your school has a diet plan for athletes, ensure that you get all the information you need and stick to the diet plan available.

If there are no diet plans available at your school, speak with your parents so that they can get you the necessary help to maintain the proper nutrition required for you to play basketball effectively.

Don’t miss practice

This should go without saying, but unfortunately, a lot of athletes tend to ignore this. The more you practice, the more you improve. What you practice is what you will be able to do in games. If you want to be a serious basketball player, your practice sessions should be just as important as games.

Take your practice sessions seriously so you can learn as much as you can so that your game can improve. Do not miss practices unless it’s unavoidable. Players who missed practice sessions could see their playing time getting reduced as well.

High school basketball seasons may have different amounts of games, depending on a few things. This would depend on the number of schools in your region, the format of the tournament being played, and the team’s progression throughout the tournament. 

A high school basketball season can have anywhere from 20 to 35 games, depending on all of these factors. Coaches should prepare their players for the long seasons if their teams are capable of making it all the way through the tournaments. 

It is also good to work on your depth charts so that your players aren’t worn out before the tournament is through. It is essential for parents also to know the number of games a team is expected to play or at least a ballpark figure so that they can schedule and prepare for their children’s other activities in accordance with these games.  

As a high school basketball player, you should make sure that you are ready for whenever the coach throughout the season calls your number. Work on your conditioning so that you are not out of commission before the season ends.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any exciting playoff series between the top schools in the country to determine the high school basketball national champion. There are different state championships contested by the best schools in each state to determine the state’s champion. 

The playoffs for high schools differ slightly from state to state and class to class, but for the most part, there are usually four rounds of gameplay, which lead to the final 4 semi-finals, and the winners of these two semi-finals will play in the state championships. All of these games are single game series knockouts.

High school basketball seasons across the country typically last for 4 months. Most states will start their seasons in November and end in March. There are a few that will end in February or even go up to April. 

The season is usually scheduled around other sports and the student’s academic requirements. Try to get as much information as you can from your coaches so that you can work with your parents, coaches, and teachers to prepare for the upcoming high school basketball season.

Did you find this helpful? You may also enjoy our other basketball FAQ articles here.

> When Does Basketball Season Typically End?

> When Does Basketball Season Typically Start?

Basketball: official rules of the game in brief

Basketball is a team sport in which players throw the ball with their hands into the opponent's basket. In a duel, 2 teams of 5 field players compete, and the number of substitutions is not limited. The goal of the game is to score more points by throwing into someone else's ring than the opponent. To do this, teams are allowed to dribble and pass according to the official rules.

Today basketball is considered to be one of the most demanded and popular sports on the planet. It is included in the program of the Summer Olympic Games. In addition, world and European championships, various club rating tournaments, for example, the NBA and the Euroleague, are regularly held. Both men and women play professional basketball, but in separate categories (mixed teams are not allowed).

Basic Rules

The International Basketball Rules were adopted in 1932, but have been adjusted more than once. The final set of rules was approved in 2004. It includes all sorts of amendments regarding the nuances of holding national and international tournaments.

The starting line-up for a match must have 10 players on the court (5 from each side). Each team must be in its own half. During the game, the ball can only be touched by hands. Running with the ball is allowed in parallel with hitting it on the floor. It is forbidden to kick the projectile, cover it with the body, throw it into the basket with a fist. A gross violation is a run when a basketball player has taken more than one step with the ball in his hands without hitting it on the floor. In this case, accidentally touching the ball with the foot or back is not considered a violation (at the discretion of the referee).

The victory in the match is won by the team that, after the final beep, scored the most points. In case of a tie, additional time is assigned - 5-minute overtime. If, after the first overtime, the opponents could not determine the winner, a second overtime is assigned, and so on.

For different types of ball hits in the ring, different numbers of points are counted:

• for a free throw - 1 point;
• for a throw from close or medium distance - 2 points;
• for a shot from outside the three-point line - 3 points.

A basketball game always starts with a jump ball in the center circle. Then the teams play for 4 quarters of 10 minutes each with breaks of 2 minutes. In the NBA, a quarter is 12 minutes long. The break in the middle of the match is equal to 15 minutes. After it, the opponents change baskets.

In addition, each team receives 2 time-outs for the first half of the game and 3 time-outs for the second. Their duration is 30 seconds. A time-out taken by one side extends to the other. Unused time-outs may not be carried over to the next half or extra period. In each overtime, the opponents have 1 time-out.

Official competitions may be held indoors or outdoors. The size of the field is 28 by 15 m. The height of the shield is 2.9 m, its dimensions are 1.8 by 1.05 m. The basket is a metal rim covered with a net with a hole in the bottom for the ball. The ring is attached at a distance of 15 cm from the lower edge of the shield and 3.05 m from the field level.

In the men's category, the circumference of the ball should be in the range from 74. 9 to 78 cm, and the mass - from 567 to 650 g. In the women's category, the circumference will be 72.4-73.7 cm, the mass - from 510 to 567 g.

Rule violations

The list of official violations of the rules in basketball includes:

• Out. Standard position when the ball has gone out of the playing area.
• Dribbling violation. It is fixed for the following set of actions: dribbling, stopping, covering the projectile with both hands and continuing to dribble.
• Jogging. The ball carrier moves more than one step without hitting the ball to the floor, or more than two hits without subsequently throwing into the ring.
• Jump from a place with the ball in hand.
• 3-Second Rule. An attacking player is in a rectangular area under the opponent's hoop for more than 3 seconds while his team has possession of the ball in the attacking area.
• 5 second rule. During the throw-in, the player does not put the projectile into play for more than 5 seconds, or the player, while in possession of a “live” ball, does not pass and throw for more than 5 seconds.
• 8 second rule. The team in possession of the ball in the backcourt did not take it out of the frontcourt line within 8 seconds.
• 24th second rule. The team in possession of the ball did not make a single shot at the opponent's ring in 24 seconds. The counter is reset when the projectile touches the shackle of the ring. After this touch, the attacking team has the right to rebound and gain possession of an additional 14 seconds.
• Ball return violation. The attacking team must bring the ball into the defensive zone, after which a new possession begins.

If a player of the attacking team has been infringed, they are entitled to:

• continuation of the countdown from the moment of stop if the team had 14 or more seconds of possession;
• a new 14 second possession if the team had less than 14 seconds of possession at the time of the violation;
• new 24 second possession if the kick-off in the defensive zone will be made by the team in possession of the ball at the time of the infringement.

Types of fouls

A foul in basketball is a foul play violation. It is given by the referee for non-compliance with the rules of personal contact with the opponent or for unsportsmanlike behavior on the court. The player who committed such a violation receives a personal reprimand (foul).

The following types of fouls exist in official tournaments:

• Personal foul. If the infringement is made against an opponent who is not in the throwing phase, then the offending team shall take the throw-in. In the event of a foul on a player who was in the shooting phase, the affected team will shoot as many free throws as the number of points taken from them by the foul. If the shot during the foul was scored, then the injured player receives an additional 1 free throw.
• Mutual foul. This refers to a situation where players from different teams commit personal fouls at the same time. As a result, both offenders are punished with a personal foul, but there are no free throws.
• Offensive foul. It is fixed by the referee for grabbing or interlacing the defender's arm, using an outstretched arm at the moment of dribbling in order to move the opponent to the desired distance from the ball, as well as when pushing the defender away from the teammate in possession of the ball in order to prevent him from taking the projectile.
• Technical foul. Violation of the rules, not caused by contact with the opponent. It implies disrespect for the referee, coach, opponent, violations of a procedural nature, delay of the game. For such a foul, the opposing team receives 2 free throws.
• Unsportsmanlike foul. Deliberate violation of the rules when the player did not even try to play the ball. If an unsportsmanlike foul was committed on a player in the shooting stage, then the affected team will attempt a number of free throws equal to the number of points lost. If the foul is committed on a player who is not in the throwing stage, then the injured player performs 2 throws. For 2 such fouls, the player is removed from the court until the end of the match with the possibility of replacement.
• Disqualifying foul. A gross unsportsmanlike violation for which the player is immediately removed from the site. In this case, a foul can also be received by a spare game, the coach and any official of the team. An additional penalty will be the assignment of free throws to the basket of the offending side (similar to an unsportsmanlike foul).

For 5 personal fouls, the player must leave the pitch, but he is allowed to remain on the bench until the end of the match. A disqualified basketball player must leave the technical area.

Coach may be disqualified for a match:

• for committing two technical fouls;
• in the event of one technical foul, whereby a substitute or an official present commits 2 technical fouls;
• for 3 technical fouls by substitutes or officials.

National Basketball League

NBA (NBA) is considered the main national tournament in the world. Represents the men's professional league in North America, which involves the best basketball clubs in the United States and Canada. The NBA is one of the TOP-4 professional sports leagues in North America (NHL, NFL, MLB) and is widely covered by hundreds of TV channels around the world.

League was formed in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America, but was later expanded and renamed the NBA. The League's headquarters is based in New York City at the Olympic Power Building. Since 2004, the tournament has included 30 teams, which are divided geographically into the Western and Eastern conferences. In turn, each conference consists of 3 divisions of 5 clubs. Teams play the regular season first, then top out in the playoff rounds:

• Regular season.

The first stage of the NBA championship lasts 171 days. The season starts in early October. For 171 days, each team plays 82 matches, that is, approximately every other day. Such a density of games often leads to injuries to basketball players, but the organizers do not deviate from the usual format due to the financial side of the issue (television rights, advertising, etc. ).

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During the regular season, each club plays 4 games against divisional opponents, 4 games against 6 teams in its own conference, 3 games against the remaining 4 clubs in its own conference, and 2 games against each team in the opposing conference. The season calendar is based on the results of the previous season and the wishes of the team management. At the same time, matches can be played even on Christmas holidays.

In February, the regular season goes on a short break for a stellar weekend. For several days, the League organizes various basketball-related competitions, and completes the festive program of events with the NBA All-Star Game.

• Playoffs.

The elimination stage starts at the end of April. The playoffs feature the top 8 teams from each conference. At the same time, the first 4 places in the conference receive 3 division winners and the best team in terms of winning ratio in the regular season. The remaining 4 places for this conference go to the teams with the best difference of wins and losses.

A pair of teams determines the winner in a series of matches up to 4 wins. Theoretically, a confrontation series can include from 4 to 7 games. Home court advantage is given to the team with the highest win rate. Until the semi-finals, only opponents from their own conference can meet in one branch of the tournament grid. The semi-finals determine the winner of the conference, while the Grand Finals help determine the best NBA team entered for the season.

Euroleague draw

Euroleague is Europe's leading basketball tournament for men's club teams. Only representatives of countries included in the European structure of FIBA ​​(International Basketball Federation) can participate in it. The name of the tournament may change depending on the sponsorship contract, for example Turkish Airlines Euroleague. Euroleague matches are broadcast in more than 200 countries around the world.

Only clubs that have received a long-term license based on the Euroleague club rating can take part in the tournament. Championships in national championships, victories in Eurocups and other achievements are taken into account.

Euroleague draw consists of 3 stages:

• Regular season.

It is attended by 16 teams, which are collected in one group. The grid is simple: each team plays one match at home and away with each opponent from the table (30 matches in total). The games of this European Cup tournament are held according to a special calendar, approximately 3-4 rounds per month (on weekdays). At the end of the regular season, the top 8 teams are determined, which automatically advance to the playoff round.

• Quarter-finals.

The first round of the non-eliminating tournament consists of 4 pairs. The first place plays with the eighth, the second - with the seventh, the third - with the sixth, the fourth - with the fifth. The advantage of the home court is given to the team that took the highest place in the previous stage. A series of matches is played up to 3 wins. The winners of the pairs advance to the Final Four.

• Final four.

The final stage of the Euroleague is held according to the Olympic system at one stadium for 2 days. On the first day, the semi-finals are played, on the second - the match for 3rd place and the main final. At each stage, the teams hold one face-to-face meeting.

International team tournaments

The most significant tournaments among national basketball teams include:

• World Championship.

This is the most rated and prestigious tournament for national teams, which is held under the auspices of FIBA. The World Cup is held every 4 years among men's teams. The debut draw of the championship took place in 1950 in Buenos Aires and brought together only 10 teams under its banner. The winner of that tournament was the team of Argentina, which managed to beat the powerful US team in a bitter struggle. From 19For 53 years, the Women's Basketball World Cup has been held every 4 years. The first world champions were Americans.

For the first time, the World Cup was conquered by Soviet male basketball players in 1967, and for women in 1959. Today, Russian teams regularly qualify for the main championship of the planet, but rarely compete for medals. Americans, Serbs, Spaniards, Greeks, Argentines are considered the flagships of world basketball.

• European Championship.

Tournament for national teams of European countries. It is held every 2 years. The debut championship among men was played at 1935, among women - in 1938. The best result of victories at the European Championship was with the USSR team, which took gold 14 times. The Russian national team is traditionally ranked among the favorites of the tournament, regularly making it to the decisive rounds of the playoffs.

• Olympic Games.

Basketball was first introduced at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. In 1904, only exhibition matches of the best basketball players in the United States were held. It was the Americans who became the first Olympic champions in basketball, who are still considered the main favorites of each next Olympic Games. The USSR team took gold for the first time at 1972 year. The debut women's tournament at the Olympics was held in 1976. Today, professional basketball players are allowed to the Olympic championship.

Development history

The idea of ​​creating basketball belongs to the American teacher of the Massachusetts College J. Naismith. In December 1891, he decided to diversify the traditional gymnastics classes and tied two peach baskets to the railing of the balcony of the sports hall. The students were divided into two teams, whose members had to throw the maximum number of balls into their basket.

Naismith's game was only vaguely reminiscent of modern basketball, since there was no dribbling, and players could only throw a projectile to themselves, standing still, and throw it into the basket in any way. Nevertheless, the game became popular in the US and Canada. It was included in an expanded physical training program for students in schools and colleges. Gradually, the rules began to improve, dribbling, zoning of the site, shields appeared.

The formation of professional basketball took place at the beginning of the 20th century with the emergence of a number of serious basketball clubs. The main problem of the initial stage of the development of the discipline was the lack of a single organization that could control the activities of teams and leagues. The players could easily play for different teams, and the meetings themselves were held in sports halls that did not meet the standards.

In 1932, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was formed in Geneva. This organization began to gradually unite national basketball associations and make demands for official tournaments. Thanks to FIBA, basketball has gained worldwide popularity.

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How many quarters are there in a basketball game?

Many people are interested in basketball, so many interesting questions can be asked. Do you know: how many quarters are there in the basketball game ?

There are 4 quarters in a basketball game. A typical NBA game consists of four 12-minute quarters; however, the duration can vary considerably depending on the game.

Let's get to know these basketball terms better with Scott Fujita !

A basketball game consists of four quarters, which are separate periods of the game. The game clock starts counting the remaining time depending on the quarter of the game.

How long are quarters in the NBA? In the NBA playoffs, game hours run from 12:00 pm to zero. Due to overtime or other problems with the game, the game time may sometimes increase by five minutes.

People from different walks of life played basketball. Children, men or women can play basketball. It has been performed in colleges, schools, universities, and on the world or national stage.

People divide a basketball game into quarters

Therefore, basketball consists of several stages depending on the institution and age differences. Other basketball rules such as prompting, directing, dribbling, fouling, and shooting are the same for all games.

Read more: How many fouls can you commit in the NBA

A high school basketball game can last up to 2 hours. High school basketball games consist of a 32-minute base session.