Rules Puzzler: Fouling a FT shooter

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

This didn't happen, but it seems like an interesting play from a rules exploration perspective...

A has 4 team fouls. A1 is at the FT line shooting a FT. As we sometimes see occur, A1 is offset to one side, not centered on the FT line. B4 is in the lane space closest to the shooter.

As A1 is shooting the first FT, B4 has an arm extended directly out over the lane such that it makes contact with A1's arm during the FT attempt, prior to the release of the FT.

What do you do? What can you justify by rule?

Did you mean that Team B has 4 fouls in the half?

Anyway, fouling a player attempting a FT does not result in FTs being awarded as if this were a try for goal from the field. Your choices are to call a common foul and award a replacement FT based upon the distraction rule or to penalize with an intentional personal foul which would result in two additional FTs (and one could still award a replacement throw).

I don’t believe that a technical foul would be appropriate as this is a contact situation during a live ball, so the unsporting technical foul rule does not apply.

I’ve considered a similar situation in the past. The FT shooter utilizes a jumpshot for his attempts. The opponent enters the lane and then moves backward in an attempt to box out the shooter, but fouls him prior to the free-thrower returning to the floor. I pondered this scenario before the NFHS brought back the restriction on the defenders entering the FT semi-circle prior to the ball contacting the ring or backboard.