Biggest rules/mechanics changes of the last 5 years

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Some high school gyms still have the 28 foot hash mark painted on the inbounds side of the boundary sideline. Anybody besides Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. old enough to remember what this hash mark was originally used for?

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

Back in the day, teams had an option to forgo free throws on a foul against them. The 28-foot mark was used as the throw-in location in that case.

No ilyazhito, but thanks for playing. As a parting gift you'll receive a twenty-volume set of the Encyclopedia International, a case of Turtle Wax, and a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat.

Two uses for NFHS 28 foot hash marks back in ancient times.

1) Hash mark separated the midcourt for the forecourt. New five second closely guarded dribbling count if dribbler passed the hash mark going forward. So a possibility of sixteen seconds of being closely guarded with no violation. Holding in midcourt. Dribbling in midcourt. Continue dribbling past hash mark. Continue dribbling in forecourt. Holding in forecourt.

2) Lack of action technical foul. Team behind, while on offense, had to "force the action" by dribbling past the hash mark after being warned by the officials. Team behind, while on defense, had to "force the action" by closely guarding opponents in the midcourt after being warned by the officials.