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.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[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?

[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)

[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.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[BillyMac]

NCAA-W, NCAA-M, and IAABO (big deal) all say that opponents can be on the bench and, thus, fall under the distraction (disconcertion) rule.

That, along with the NFHS bench technical citation, should put this debate to bed for good.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

NCAA-W, NCAA-M, and IAABO (big deal) all say that opponents can be on the bench and, thus, fall under the distraction (disconcertion) rule.

That, along with the NFHS bench technical citation, should put this debate to bed for good.

I posted the NCAA-Men's rule. I didn't see where it stated yelling from the bench constitutes disconcertion/distraction.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

I didn't see where it stated yelling from the bench constitutes disconcertion/distraction.

The Forum debate that's been going on for years has not been about whether a particular act is distracting, or is not distracting, that's always been a judgement call to be deemed by the officials on the court.

The Forum debate has always been about the NFHS definition, or rather, the lack of a NFHS definition, of "opponent".

In regard to enforcing NFHS 9-1-3-C (No opponent must distract the free thrower), some have claimed that opponent only refers to, and is limited to, the opposing five players on the court, while others have maintained that an opponent can include both opposing players and opposing bench personnel.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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 NFHS Bench Technical 10-5-5-Penalty rule that I cited has little to do with distracting of a free throw shooter (it's about bench personnel fighting) other than being only NFHS citation that I can find referencing that opponents can, indeed, be on the bench, and thus don't have to be any of the five players actually on the court.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

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.

Whether, or not, opponents on the court, or opponents on the bench, are distracting (disconcerting) the free throw shooter is still a subjective judgment call by the officials.

Always has been.

Never said that it wasn't.