Can I get some good examples of an opponent disconcerting the free thrower? I just want to find out what officials view as being unnacceptable behavior.
What is acceptable arm placement for players occupying lane spaces during a free throw? Is their a rule that says their arms must stay in their lane space or can their arms go into an opponents lane space?

Thanks

"MMMMMIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS-IITTTTTTT!
MMMIIISSSSSSSS-IITTTT!", said B1, while A1 was shooting a free-throw.

Yelling just as the shooter is about to shoot is a common tactic. The players know better than to yell; "Miss it" so they might say, "Box out" or "I got shooter" or "Grab the rebound." This is especially obvious if it is done before the first of two shots.

A sudden, deliberate movement could be disconccerting. A player that quickly raises his arms exactly as the shooter is about to release the ball would qualify in my book.

As for the arms: there is no restriction. The rule (9-1-9) prohibits feet from being over the line, but says nothing about arms. However, when the player in the first spot puts his arm directly over the amrs of the player in the second spot, and that player pushes it away....and they keep it up for a while...then there is likely to be a double foul.

One other one is when they have their arms to the side and as the shooter gets ready to release the ball, the are go out and up.

chit chat back and forth amongst the opposing players...almost any movement while the shooter is shooting catches my attention and is watched closely...

A loud "NOONAN!" always gets a whistle from me...........

Chit chat is really hard to judge. As others have pointed out in the past, basketball is not golf. If the defensive players want to confirm defensive match-ups or what play will be run next, I think that's legitimate and a FT shooter should be able to take a shot without being distracted by it.

If the chit chat is directed at the free thrower, that's a different matter. Or if it gets louder just as the shot is released. Or if the raised arms are shaking in the shooter's vision. Those things are no-no's.

How about where the kids raise their arms and "wiggle" their fingers either at the shooter or just straight up. I have seen players told to stop & told it was OK? Any thoughts?

Make 'em stop. If they want to raise their arms to get ready for the rebound, fine. Wiggling does not help their rebounding. It's strictly for the shooter's distraction.

I think that it's disconcertion as per case book play 9.1.5SitA.

I've had more trouble with the cheerleaders on the baseline disconcerting the shooter than I have the players.

They may not shout and yell, but they often raise their arms and wiggle their fingers or their pom-poms.

elliot
 

Chherleader are always a problem. They will normally "Part" the lane but they never want to hold still. Should we require them to be still during free throws when they have parted the lane but are on the O.B. side of the floor not in the stands?

No, no Chuck. Where's that famous chick-empathy thing of yours? the wiggling fingers is to sprinkle good luck on their team mates, and bad luck on their opponents. Just in general. Nothing to do with the shooting of the free throws. It's an extension of the cheerleaders who do it to sprinkle "good thoughts".

The opposing team members on the bench all stomping their feet is another example of disconcertion.

There is no requirement for the cheerleaders to remain quiet or stay still during FTs. There is something in a cheer manual about not standing directly under the basket along the end line, but since it is not a rule in the BASKETBALL RULES BOOK, I don't believe that it should be enforced. I've never read or even seen the cheer manual, but I think that Tony has one and has quoted this bit on the forum before.

The case book says that it MAY be disconcertion, not that it IS disconcertion.