Free Throw Violation (NFHS)
 

At the risk of sounding very stupid, is it accurate that under NFHS rules there is no violation by the shooter if the ball hits the backboard, but never touches the rim? Rule 9-1-3a seems to indicate that, but I remember that at some point in the past the ball needed to hit the rim. If it is accurate, does anyone know when this changed or is the requirement of hitting the rim just one of those rules book old wives' tale along with having to be behind half court while a player is shooting a free throw for a technical foul?

ball must hit the rim.

Still has to hit the rim. I imagine they should fix this next year.

...or go in. ;)

It's already been fixed in this yrs corrections

Hopefully that will make it to next year's rule book.

No one reads the corrections, no one reads the old interps.

Hi, I'm no-one. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-greet024.gif

To answer the question asked by Rob63 more directly and completely, this was an editorial error this year which crept into the rules book. The NFHS has announced a correction for it. Hopefully, the words will be removed for the 2016-17 version and the text will again read as it has for the past several years.

Basketball Rules Interpretations - 2015-16

By NFHS on October 14, 2015


Publisher’s Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented.
Robert B. Gardner, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2015
Rule Book Corrections: Page 56, 2015-16 NFHS Basketball Rules omission: 9-1-3 Penalty 4b should read “If the second violation is by the free thrower or a teammate behind the free-throw line extended and the three-point line, both violations are penalized, as in penalty item (3).
Rule 9-1-3a: delete “or backboard”