[BillyMac]

Area Coaches Embrace Shot Clock And New Federation Decree On How Team Fouls Are Count

By Sean Krofssik, Record-Journal staff

There was already a major change coming this winter to Connecticut boys and girls high school basketball: the shot clock.

Now more changes have arrived.

This week, the National Federation of State High School Associations announced rule changes for the 2023-24 basketball season. The biggest apply to foul shooting.

The one-and-one has been done away with. All trips to the foul line will be two shots.

How that “bonus” situation is calculated has changed. Team fouls will no longer be counted by halves. They will reset at the end of each quarter.

Two-shot free throws kick in on all fouls when the opposing team reaches five in a quarter.

Under the old rules, a team shot one-and-one when an opponent committed seven fouls in a half, then went to two foul shots when the 10th foul of the half was committed.

According to Lindsey Atkinson, the National Federation’s director of sports, the Federation’s basketball rules committee studied data that showed higher injury rates during rebounding situations. Scrapping the one-and-one was seen as a way to reduce rough play.

Atkinson also said that resetting the fouls each quarter will improve game flow, and some local coaches agree.

“I like the five fouls and cleaning the slate each quarter,” Southington boys coach Ed Quick said. “You can get in situation where the referees are calling a game tight and get to five fouls really quick in the first quarter and then you can adjust to that in the second quarter. I like cleaning the slate.

“Doing away with the one-and-one is interesting.”

After years of deliberation, the 35-second shot clock was already arriving this winter for Connecticut boys and girls basketball.

“The shot clock is well overdue; it’s good Connecticut has caught up,” Quick said. “They are trying to get the games flowing. You don’t know until you try it.”

Another change announced this week deals with inbounding after a foul. When the defensive team commits a violation in the frontcourt before the five-foul bonus, or the ball becomes dead, the offensive team will inbound at one of four designated spots — either the nearest 28-foot mark along each sideline or the nearest spot 3 feet outside the lane on the end line.

The spot will be determined by where the infraction took place.

The one exception is when the defensive team causes the ball to go out of bounds. The resulting throw-in will be at the spot where the ball went out.

Those rule changes might seem arcane, but according to Quick, they’re not.

”Spotting the ball is bigger than you think, and having four spots where you take the ball out and knowing those four will be helpful as far as preparing, because there are parts of the floor where you would rather not take out the ball,” the Southington coach said.

Sheehan girls basketball coach Mike Busillo said he likes the changes.

“I know the Federation’s rational is less contact, but this gets the game more in line to what is happening in college,” Busillo said. “I think it would be better for high school basketball in general if it was played with the same rules that are used at the higher levels. I would like to see a standard game for all levels and genders.”

Busillo also said he’s fine with the one-and-one being done away with.

“It’s change and not not everyone is comfortable with change,” Busillo said. “If you are late in a game and down, sure, you would like a team shooting one-and-one, but we are talking about three instances in the game on fouls seven, eight and nine. So it’s not a big deal.

“I like the reset of fouls, too, because you won’t have teams marching to the line with five minutes to go in the second quarter,” the Sheehan coach added. “The game flow should be better with not as many interruptions and foul shots. I kind of like it.”

Southington girls basketball coach Howie Hewitt said he’s fine with the foul reset per quarter and doing away with the one-and-one.

“It all makes sense and it’s easier, and it will probably take some of the pressure off of the players on that first foul shot,” Hewitt said. “These changes are fine. I think they will have such a little impact on the game and people will get used to it. It’s going to be nothing compared to adjusting to the shot clock.

“The free throw changes aren’t radical; you just have to be aware of them,” Hewitt continued. “The girls on the team can’t believe there was a time where there was not a 3-point shot.”

Platt boys coach Shawon Moncrief is also supportive of the Federation’s move.

“I think the changes are trying to emulate the NBA game,” Moncrief said. “I think it will speed some things up and where you aren’t going to the line as much. I like the reset and having the clean slate each quarter and not a parade to the foul line. I like it: Keep the game moving.”

Moncrief said he is looking forward to the shot clock coming into play next winter.

“I was at a AAU tournament a few weeks ago and a team was winning by a lot and they started holding the ball with 10 minutes to go in the game,” Moncrief remarked. “I think the shot clock is good and makes you keep playing until the end.”

Maloney girls basketball coach John Vieira said the changes will be positive in the long run, but will present some growing pains in the early going.

“It was already going to be different with the shot clock coming in, and now no more one-and-ones,” Vieira said. “I like the changes; I’m in favor of them. The changes correlate with the higher levels and it’s good to have a universal system.

“The one-and-ones were unique for our game, but we will adapt,” Vieira added. “It will change some strategy and put more emphasis on defense because once you get that fifth foul, they are shooting two.”