Opponents Distracting Free Thrower ...

[BillyMac]

This thread is primarily for IAABO members because IAABO interpretations don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world to most Forum members.

Whether, or not, bench personnel opponents can distract (disconcert) free throw shooters has been debated here on the Forum for many years. With no clear NFHS definition of "opponent", some have claimed that opponent only refers to the opposing five players on the court, while others have maintained that an opponent can include opposing bench personnel.

The most recent issue of IAABO's Between The Lines contains this quiz question and answer:

A1 is shooting a free throw when Team B head coach is clapping and yelling instructions to the Team B players along the lane. The free throw is unsuccessful. The official rules distraction on the Team B head coach and awards A1 a substitute free throw. True or False?

True 9-1-3-C

9-1-3-C: No opponent must distract the free thrower

[BillyMac]

In my research to post this thread, I came across this NFHS citation:

Bench Technical 10-5-5-Penalty: The head coach is responsible for his/her own conduct and behavior, as well as substitutes, disqualified team members and all other bench personnel. Bench personnel, including the head coach, must not: Leave the confines of the bench during a fight or when a fight may occur … When a simultaneous technical fouls by opponents occurs, the free throws are not awarded when the penalties offset.

This is the one and only NFHS reference I can find referring to opponents being on the bench.

[crosscountry55]

Have fun explaining that ruling to the head coach.

I love how IAABO quiz questions basically invite officials to break into jail with crazy out-of-left-field rulings.


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[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by crosscountry55

Have fun explaining that ruling to the head coach. I love how IAABO quiz questions basically invite officials to break into jail with crazy out-of-left-field rulings.

I can possibly agree with crosscountry55 that "clapping and yelling instructions" by the head coach probably shouldn't be considered distracting (guess that you had to be there).

The important concept that I take from this IAABO interpretation is that once the official deems this to be distracting (right or wrong), IAABO says that a distracting violation can be levied against an opponent on the bench.

Although I've warned a few times, I've only called this once in my forty year career. First half (opponent bench on same side of court as free throw shooter) of a high school age recreation league. Opponents on bench mercilessly verbally distracting (we called it disconcerting back in ancient times) free throw shooter. My call (shoot again) put an immediate stop to such nonsense.

[bob jenkins]

Bench personnel can disconcert in NCAAW -- it's been on the test a couple of times in the past several years.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Bench personnel can disconcert in NCAAW -- it's been on the test a couple of times in the past several years.

Thanks bob jenkins. Possibly another nail in the coffin for those who have claimed that opponent only refers to the opposing five players on the court.

[Zoochy]

I never understood why a Head Coach YELLS, 'BOX OUT' on the 1st of multiple free throws.
Maybe to disrupt the shooter?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Zoochy

I never understood why a Head Coach YELLS, 'BOX OUT' on the 1st of multiple free throws.

... maybe for the same reason that I will sometimes, as the trail, raise my hand to chop in time on the first of multiple free throws ... muscle memory at the best, absentmindedness at the worst.

Now where are my reading glasses? Yeah, I now use reading glasses to read the miniature comics in the newspaper. Let the insults begin. C'mon Mark T. DeNucci, Sr., give me your best shot.

[Zoochy]

BillyMac, I think you are giving the Head Coach too much credit.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Thanks bob jenkins. Possibly another nail in the coffin for those who have claimed that opponent only refers to the opposing five players on the court.

Case Play:

A.R. 236. The ball is at the disposal of A1 for a free throw and as they attempt
the try, (1) B1 or (2) bench personnel B6 disconcerts A1. The try is unsuccessful.
RULING: In (1) and (2), the officials shall rule disconcertion and
award A1 a substitute free throw.
(Rules 8-5.1.f, 9-1.1.f and 9-1 Penalty d.3)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Case Play:A.R. 236. The ball is at the disposal of A1 for a free throw and as they attempt the try, (1) B1 or (2) bench personnel B6 disconcerts A1. The try is unsuccessful. RULING: In (1) and (2), the officials shall rule disconcertion and award A1 a substitute free throw. (Rules 8-5.1.f, 9-1.1.f and 9-1 Penalty d.3)

It would be nice if the NFHS gave us such a caseplay.

[Kansas Ref]

Originally Posted by Zoochy

I never understood why a Head Coach YELLS, 'BOX OUT' on the 1st of multiple free throws.
Maybe to disrupt the shooter?

*Wherever that occurs, as well as when opponents in lane spaces are shouting "I got shooter, I got shooter!" on the first of two FTs, I invariably award a substitute FT if first one is missed.

Had a coach ask me "hay ref, what'd my guy do!?" I replied, "Coach your guy is intentionally distracting the FTshooter, none of their players are distracting like that when you're shooting FTs." He paused then retorted, "but ref, they're communicating their defenses." Then, I replied, "coach, don't be disingenuous." He relented though still feigning disgust; however, for the balance of that game you didn't hear a peep from his players during FT attempts.

Oh I am well-versed in spotting and stopping disconcerting acts by the opponents during FTs. I've seen all manner of deceptively disconcerting strategems: from the coordinated sudden group coughing to the group bendover and tie shoelaces just as FT is about to be released to, well I could go on and on, but you see my point.

[Note: To Billymac, Mike Godwin, and any other readers of this post who may wonder, "why did kansas ref use a SAT level word in explaining his ruling to that Coach?" Well, bcz I presume that he had a college degree or else he wouldn'tbe teaching at a 6A level high school, and that English was his primary language so he should comprehend, and bcz a grizzled ole veteran ref once told me back when I started out officiating doing 8th grade girls A & B games: always speak at one level of diction above your audience to make an impact to coaches and whomever is within earshot--always remember kid, that you're "The Referee" and not just some fan of the game. Thanks]

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

... the group bendover and tie shoelaces ...

Wasn't Ben Dover a Forum member a few years ago?

[Kansas Ref]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Wasn't Ben Dover a Forum member a few years ago?

*Yes, along with Anthony (Ant) Hill and Dick Marks, and Joy Bush. They were all true legends of these message boards.

[Raymond]

Had a JuCo coach ask yesterday if it's legal for the opponent's bench to yell out during free throws. This was during the second half, so that bench was a long way away. I replied that they're so far away and he just nodded his head.

This is what the NCAA men's rule 8-5-1 reads:

f. No opponent (player or bench personnel) shall disconcert (e.g., taunt, bait, gesture or delay) the free-thrower.

I'll look for any applicable case plays later, but based on the rule by itself, that leaves a lot of judgment up to the officials.

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