The National High School Federation Rules and Regulations will apply to all tournament games with exceptions explained below. All USSSA rules may not apply in this tournament, see tournament director for clarification.  All teams advancing to the National tournament must adhere to the national tournament rules.

All games will be played in two halves:

3rd Grade Division…………………………………12 minutes
4th Grade Division………………………….………12 minutes
5th Grade Division……………….…………………12 minutes
6th Grade Division…………………………….……12 minutes
7th Grade Division………………….………………14 minutes
8th Grade Division…………………………….……14 minutes
9th Grade Division…………………………….……14 minutes
High School Division……….……...…………..…...16 minutes

1. Halftime shall be no longer than 5 minutes.  A minimum five minute pre-game warm up will be given provided games are on schedule.  No game will start before its scheduled time unless agreed to by both coaches.  Overtime period will be two minutes.
2. A player will be disqualified after committing a 6th personal foul (technical fouls are included).
3. The one plus one team bonus foul shot will commence on the tenth (10th) team foul in each half.  Two-shot fouls will be awarded for shooting, flagrant and technical fouls only.
4. Total of (3) time-outs per game will be allowed to each team.  One (1) additional time-out per team will be awarded for each overtime period.  Time-outs from regulation do not carry over to overtime periods.
5. Regulation sized basketballs will be used for boys 7th grade division through High School Division.  All other divisions in boys and girls competition will use the smaller sized basketball.
6. Two (2) Technical fouls during a game on any player, coach, or team representative will result in their disqualification for the rest of the game.
7. The clock will be stopped on all whistles.  Not a continuous clock.  Exception:  If a team is trailing by 30 or more points, there will be a running clock until the lead is 20 or less.  The clock will stop for timeouts only.
8. Each team is responsible for their warm-up and game balls and/or any other items brought to the game. The tournament sponsors or their representatives are not responsible for lost items.
9. This is an open roster tournament; a team may add a player at any time during the tournament as long as that player has not played for any other team in that age/grade division.   A Maximum of 12 Players, NO Exceptions will be allowed.

Tie breaker for play-offs:

1. Head to Head
   
   
2. Point differential…Maximum 15 points.  (Forfeits are scored at 15-0)  Point differential calculation is based solely on the games between the tied teams. In the event of a three-way tie for first, point differential will be used to establish the pool winner. The runner-up position will then be determined by head to head between the remaining two teams.  In the event of a three way tie for the runner-up position, point differential will be used to establish the runner-up in the pool.
   
3. Defensive Point System- If 3 teams remain tied after the above tie breakers the team with the lowest total points allowed will advance.  The remaining teams will revert back to tie breaker #1

 Eligibility:

The Solon Cage Classic is a grade based tournament with age parameters. Proof of eligibility (birth certificate) must be produced in the event of a protest.  A player may only play for one team per age/grade division.  A player may compete at a level below his grade if his birth date conforms to the following guidelines: 

Boy's Divisions Earliest Birthdates

9&Under/3rdGrade.................... ........................………..September 1, 2000
*Exception: A player that is in the 3rd grade and who was born on or after 9-1-99 can participate in this division.

10&Under/4thGrade.........................................................September 1, 1999
*Exception: A player that is in the 4th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-98 can participate in this division.

11&Under/5thGrade........................................................September 1, 1998
*Exception: A player that is in the 5th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-97 can participate in this division.

12&Under/6thGrade................... ....................................September 1, 1997
*Exception: A player that is in the 6th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-96 can participate in this division.

13&Under/7thGrade........................................................September 1, 1996
*Exception: A player that is in the 7th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-95 can participate in this division.

14&Under/8thGrade........................................................September 1, 1995
*Exception: A player that is in the 8th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-94 can participate in this division.

15&Under/9thGrade........................................................September 1, 1994
*Exception: A player that is in the 9th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-91 can participate in this division.

16&Under/10thGrade........................……………..........September 1, 1993
*Exception: A player that is in the 10th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-92 can participate in this division.

17&Under/11thGrade.....................................................September1, 1992
*Exception: A player that is in the 11th grade and who was born on or after 9-1-91 can participate in this division.

*All Players participating under the grade eligibility exception must present a birth certificate and a confirmation of grade level from their school’s administration office.  There is a maximum of three grade exception players per team.
(Example:  A player competing in the Boys 14 & Under division may not turn 15 prior to September 1, 2009)

       Girl's Divisions by Grade 2010

Grade 4 : ....................…………………….................................July 1, 1998
Grade 5 : ...............……..………………....................................July 1, 1997
Grade 6 : ..............………..…………….....................................July 1, 1996
Grade 7 : ............………..…………….......................................July 1, 1995
Grade 8 : ............……..……………….......................................July 1, 1994
Grade 9 : ........…………..…………...........................................July 1, 1993  
Grade 10 : .....….………………….............................................July 1, 1992  
Open HS :  ..........……………………......................... ...............July 1, 1991  

Exception:  Each team will be allowed 3 players who meet grade based requirements but not the age requirements.

*All Players participating under the grade eligibility exception must present a confirmation of grade level from their school’s administration office. A player may not be born before January 1st of the year listed above and be eligible for that grade.

Eligibility Protests:

All protest must be filed in writing, accompanied by a $100.00 protest fee (refundable if protest is upheld) with the District Director PRIOR to protested game.  If protest is valid, the protested team forfeits all previous games.  District director’s ruling on protests is final.