When was the 3 pt line added to the high school game? I'm thinking 1988, but not sure.

I got some money on this, so get it right! :)

BigDave, I wasn't an official at the time, so not sure, just throwing my 2 cents worth in the pot :D but I am guessing 86....looked in the handbook pg 16 in 1985 it was optional for each state, in 86 it was adopted and included...

Yep, that is right.
 

It was 1986-87 Season. It was my Freshman year in high school. I remember we all tried our best to hit that shot when this rule was put in.

Peace

I'm thinking 87-88 season was the first, as my school was the one of the best 3 point shooting teams in the state that year, even though we went 13-10. We also damn near beat the eventual state champ in the district championship game. Missed a 3-pointer that could have sent us to state instead of them.

A thought occurred to me after my last posting. It had to be 87-88 because the colleges started using it in 86-87. I clearly remember 85 NCAA champions Villanova SLOWLY killing Georgetown. Shot clock came in that fall. Next year was the 3 line. Indiana won the 87 championship on a 3-pointer, first time it was used in the NCAA championship game. High school followed suit after seeing the Hoosiers benefit from it.

According to the FED's Basketball Handbook, 2000-2002 edition, it was 1987

It's certainly possible, though,that certain states adopted it earlier ("experimental rule") or later

It was definitely 1987. I graduated from HS in 1987, and we had a player in my class who scored 2234 points in his high school career. His freshman year of college (1987-88) and my first year of officiating brought the 3 point line to PA.

May have come in earlier on a state-adoption basis, of course.

Another question -- when did they get rid of that wacky lack of action rule where we always had to know who was winning the game?

Rich

the handbook says 86 fellas not 87

Upon further review, we're both right:

1986 ....adopted 19-foot 9-inch arc for three-point goal

1987 - Adopted three-point field goal; ...

Huh?

While it can be argued that Indiana beat Syracuse in 1987 with 3-pointers (Alford hit 6 or 7 during game, I believe), the winning shot was a 2-point basket from a Keith Smart baseline jumper.

LOL I guess they wanted to bring it in slowly....first the floor markings then next year give you another point for shooting from back there LOL

I am guessing that use of 3 pointer was initially optional, but that the distance was fixed in 1986. So rather than say you can do whatever you want, NF said you can do 3 pointers or not - your choice - but if you use the 3, this is the distance.

Re: Yep, that is right.
 

This is so sad! When you were a freshman, I had already had a tour of duty in the Navy (64-68) and invested 17 years in my career. I must be really old.:D

Re: Re: Yep, that is right.
 

Hey db, I take great pleasure in the knowledge that you finished navy boot before I finished my first year in little league! :p

Re: Re: Re: Yep, that is right.
 

Cute! Some day you will be my age and some other wise-a** will poke fun at you. :D