[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

As soon as I hit the Submit Reply button I know that my posting would generate a lot of discussion. I pounded out my original posting very hurriedly without thinking the whole play through and would like to make some minor tweakings in my ruling.

Lets go back in time before the NFHS added R4-S46-A1 to its rules book. Prior to that school year the rules for both NFHS and NCAA were the same. The only difference being the Section and Article numbers; how the rules were interpreted and the rulings for infractions of these rules were the same. For that starting point lets look at how we can break down the posted play per the rules before NFHS R4-S46-A3 went into effect.


Play 1: Team B has just scored a field goal and A1 has possession of the ball out-of-bounds for a throw-in. (a) B1 reaches thru the boundary-line plane. (b) B1 reaches thru the boundary-line plane and makes contact with the ball while A1 is holding it. (c) B1 reaches thru the boundary-line plane and makes illegal contact with A1. RULING: (a) B1 has committed a throw-in violation. The penalty is a throw-in by Team A nearest the spot of the violation by B1. This throw-in is a designated spot throw-in. Is this the penalty that the official really wants to or should impose? The official has to look at the entire play: (i) Is Team B trying to stop the clock (especially if Team A can hold the ball out-of-bounds and let the clock run out)? (ii) Is Team B trying to stop the clock to get substitutes in the game? (iii) Does Team B want to take Team A’s right to run the end line by committing a throw-in violation? (b) Technical foul by B1 for delay of game. The breaking of the plane violation by B1 is ignored. (c) Intentional (possibly a flagrant) personal foul by B1. The breaking of the plane violation by B1 is ignored.

As one can see in Plays 1b and 1c, that even though a violation occurred first, causing the ball to become dead, the NFHS and NCAA wanted the officials to ignore the ball becoming dead and penalize the more serious infraction of the rules.


Now lets travel to the present. Under NCAA rules nothing has changed has changed for Plays 1a, 1b, and 1c except that if the official decides to penalize Team B in Play 1a, Team A retains the right to run the end line on the ensuing throw-in. NFHS rules concur with the NCAA for Play 1a. BUT under NFHS one has contend with R4-S46-A3 for Plays 1b and 1c.

Lets look at Plays 1b and 1c if NFHS R4-S46-A1 has not yet been invoked. Jurassic Referee is correct in stating that NFHS R9-S2, Penalty 3 and 4 applies to Plays 1b and 1c respectively, and the official warning is invoked as well as the penalties for the fouls.

If NFHS R4-S46-A3 is effect a technical foul, has been committed by Team B as soon as B1 breaks the boundary-line plane in Plays 1a, 1b, and 1c. In Play 1a it is business as usual; Team A is awarded two free throws and the ball out-of-bounds at the division line opposite the Scorer’s/Timer’s Table. BUT for Plays 1b and 1c, life for the game officials is not so easy.

As I stated previously, a technical foul, has been committed by Team B as soon as B1 breaks the boundary-line plane. In Play 1b, the officials should ignore B1’s contact with the ball therefore there is only the technical foul by Team B. In Play 1c, the officials have to look at how B1 made contact with A1. If NFHS R4-S46-A1 has not been invoked, we know that B1’s contact with A1 is an intentional personal foul by rule (and quite possibly be a flagrant personal foul). It is my interpretation of the rules that the intentional personal foul portion of NFHS R9-S2, Penalty 4 is not applicable. Because the ball has become dead because of the technical foul per NFHS R4-S46-A1, the official as to make a decision: (i) Assume that the ball has inbounds status, would the contact by B1 be considered a common foul, if so ignore the contact by B1. (ii) Is the contact by B1 intentional, then, the contact by B1 is an intentional technical foul. (iii) Is the contact by B1 flagrant, then, the contact by B1 is a flagrant technical foul.


So the RULINGS for Play 1c is as follows:

NCAA: Under NCAA rules there are no official warnings given to a player for reaching thru the boundary-line plane during a throw-in; it is just a throw-in violation. The penalties for the fouls are not administered in the order that the fouls were committed. 1) Any player(s) from Team B will shoot a total of two free throws for the technical foul by Team A. 2) A1 shoots two free throws for the penalty for B1’s personal foul; then Team A gets possession of the ball for a throw-in nearest the spot of the personal foul by B1. The technical foul by Team A does not count toward Team A's team foul totals; A2 is not guilty of any foul. B1 is guilty of only a personal foul and this foul does count toward Team B's team foul totals.


NFHS: In Plays 1c(i, ii, iii), when B1 reached thru the boundary-line Team B has committed a technical foul per R4-S46-A1 and R10-S1-A10 and Team A has committed a technical foul per R10-S1-A2b. And:

Play 1c(i): The penalties for the fouls are administered in the order that the fouls were committed. 1) Any player(s) from Team A will shoot a total of two free throws for the technical foul by Team B. 2) Any player(s) from Team B will shoot a total of two free throws for the technical foul by Team A; Team B then has possession of the ball for a throw-in at the division line opposite the Scorer's/Timer's Table. Both of the fouls will count toward the team foul totals of each team.

Play 1c(ii): The penalties for the foul are administered in the order that the fouls were committed. 1) Any player(s) from Team A will shoot a total of four free throws for the two technical fouls by Team B. 2) Any player(s) from Team B will shoot a total of two free throws for the technical foul by Team A; Team B then has possession of the ball for a throw-in at the division line opposite the Scorer's/Timer's Table. All of three fouls will count toward the team foul totals of each team. The technical foul by B1 will count toward is total of five personal/technical foul count and his two technical foul count.

Play 1c(iii): The penalties for the foul are administered in the order that the fouls were committed. 1) Any player(s) from Team A will shoot a total of four free throws for the two technical fouls by Team B. 2) Any player(s) from Team B will shoot a total of two free throws for the technical foul by Team A; Team B then has possession of the ball for a throw-in at the division line opposite the Scorer's/Timer's Table. All of three fouls will count toward the team foul totals of each team. B1 is disqualified because of the flagrant technical foul.