hello. i was scoring at a cyo type seventh grade boys tournament this past weekend. upon the 7th team foul in the first half, referee informed me - 1 and 1 from now on, even if we get to 10 team fouls for the half. i have never heard of this before. i've attended many (some might say, too many) youth and high school games and this was a first. the timer at the scorer's table said this tournament is like a lot of tournaments in this regard. huh? is this a common practice?

Youth tournaments can have many flavours of special rules. This was one of them.

As bob said, there are many special rules for holiday and other tournaments. I just finished one this weekend where we only shot free throws if fouled in the act of shooting. NO BONUS SHOTS. Every year I do a girls JV and varsity summer league in June and July that does not shoot free throws at all until the last two minutes of the game, and then only if fouled when shooting. Until that time, if a girls is fouled while shooting, you administer the game as if she went to the line and made all her throws, awarding the proper number of points. Once in the bonus, a fouled player gets an automatic two points with the other team then getting the ball. The theory is that the coaches are evaluating their talent for next season and don't need to see a lot of free throws. They would rather see court play. I understand that, but those rules give us poor refs almost no time to rest during the game. Factor in that we usually do a 3 or 4 game shift (20 minute running halves) in a really hot gym, and you've made me the poster boy for dehydration. Why do I do it, then? It's the only game in town.

As to the original post - it does seem strange though, that you would go to the bonus but not the double bonus. After all, you've already decided there will be free throws. I can't see any reason or logic for this. Help?

[This message has been edited by Mark Padgett (edited December 20, 1999).]