Just a quick question . On a free throw do the players who are not in the lane required to stay above the top of the key extended (NFHS) ?
I had a situation this past weekend where a player lined up above the free throw line extended and behind the three point line but below the top of the key . I asked him to move beyond the top of the key extended (and of course to remain there till the ball hit the rim)and I caught some heat from the coach who said he had never heard that before.... I convinced him I was correct because I was almost 100 % certain I was . I will have him again tonight so I just want to be prepared because I know he will be . I just looked in my case book (Rule book is at home) and I didn't see anything that supported me.... (Whoops !) Any feedback is welcome .

I do not have the rule reference, but I am positive the players who are not occupying a lane spot are required to be behind the free throw line extended and behind the three point line/circle, excluding the shooter of course.

Any player who isn't lined up along the lane or shooting has to be above the free throw line extended and outside the 3-point arc. They can be in the area below the top of the free throw circle and the free throw line extended, if they are still outside of the 3-point arc.

Rules reference is NFHS 9-1-8.

....it looks like I got some splaining to do !!

It's happened to all of us. You're doing exactly the right- and only thing- that you should do.

"Coach, I was wrong on that one. It won't happen again".

Someone needs to amend this rule.....I liked mine a lot better :)

You know, that brings up another good point that seems to be misunderstood by a few officials also. The same restrictions as noted above also apply to the free throws for technical fouls. We've had questions in the past here that related to where people HAD to stand during FT's for T's. Some officials mistakenly thought that all players except the shooter had to be in the back court.

Duly noted ...I hate to admit it but I was one of those guys who thought eveyone needed to be in the backcourt . I don't think I have ever actually told anybody to go to the backcourt they just all seem to gravitate there. It is almost like it is an unwritten rule.....
Sheesh, next thing I know you are gonna tell me that a player can catch his own shot :)