2019-20 NFHS: Rumors/Desires?

[ilyazhito]

Originally Posted by SC Official

Another change I'd be happy to see is getting rid of visible 10-second backcourt counts. I know the NFHS rule is different than NCAA as to when the count starts after a throw-in (player control vs. first touch) but in most situations the count still starts at the same time.

This won't happen until we get a shot clock, and I'm not a shot clock advocate. So I'll carry on.

Even NCAA has not gotten rid of visible 10-second backcourt counts. By rule and the CCA Manuals, there still is a visible 10-second count when the shot clock is off (usually in the last 30 seconds of the period) or unavailable (e.g. shot clock malfunction, shot clock is kept on an alternate timing device at the table).

SC Official, I thought you were an NCAA Men's official, and that rule set, like NFHS, requires that an official stop the clock on all fouls and violations, with an open hand (violations and miscellaneous), fist (fouls), or thumbs up (held balls). J.D. Collins has been making that a point of emphasis in his training videos for the last few years, and in the last few editions of the CCA Men's Manual. Unless the rules redefine the clock as stopping on the whistle, which is now the case for NBA rules, the official's signal is how the clock is stopped, by rule. I have seen officials tell the timer to "watch my hand/watch my signal" when starting and/or stopping the clock, especially in the last minute of a quarter, so at least some timers still react to the official's signals to start/stop the game clock.

I would also like to see the backcourt rules changed to match NCAA. The NCAA rule is fairer to the offense (they can retrieve all deflected balls, not just ones that the defense touched last), and more consistent to administer (count starts when the ball is touched, and the touch is usually accompanied by another visual cue in the shot clock starting).