Nets (Not New Jersey)

[M&M Guy]

There was a thread here earlier from someone who was looking for soccer advice (apparently it's real slow over on the soccer side). His question had to do with whether a game can start if there are no goal nets. Someone posted an answer that as far as basketball is concerned, a game cannot start without nets on the baskets.

So here's my question: is that true? I know there are net specifications in the rules, such as size and material, but I don't ever remember reading that we should not start a game, or for that matter continue a game once started, if there are no nets on the baskets. Is that an NCAA or NFHS rule? Or would that fall under state jurisdiction? Is a net on the basket "required equipment"?

And a side question: what if a school runs out of the cotton nets, and the only thing left are the metal nets used on outdoor courts? Could the game start/continue? Obviously there's a safety issue with the metal chains for older players, but what if we're talking about a 5th/6th grade game where none of the players could ever touch the net?