This happened in a game the other night. Just as a free thrower was about to start her shooting motion, the opposing cheerleaders started a cheer on that end about 20 ft. from the shooter. My first thought was to go with a lane violation, so I blew my whistle after the shot. Luckily, she missed the rim and I went with a violation on the shooter and we went the other way. In retrospect, I could just hear myself telling the coach, "lane violation, on the cheerleader with the pigtails and freckles!" My thinking was to the rule about the band not playing during the game and also bench personnel not disconcerting the free thrower. Rule 9-1-5 and 4-34 covers this play. I don't think it would have been the end of the world to give her another free throw, although the rules don't support it. It would have been nice to have been able to give them a warning before they started the cheer. I don't think they were smart enough to start the cheer just as she started to shoot. Anyone else have this situation and how did you handle it.
Keep 'em "straight up"

Why is it wrong for them to cheer during a FT?
They're cheerleaders.
They have as much right to cheer as any paying fan does.
As long as they're sitting, let'em cheer.
We have no authority to do otherwise.
You're making up rules here. :(

"As long as their sitting" does not apply in my area, Tony. The cheerleaders generally stand on the baseline on both sides of the lane lines. I generally don't worry about them, but if I think they are being unsportsmanlike or they are bothering me I will just ask them to stop whatever they are doing. Hasn't caused problems so far. The worst part about it is them getting in the way of my work. I have an unofficial four-step process to solve the problem. #1 ask them nicely to please move back or off to the side when I am on the baseline trying to work for angle, #2 tell them they need to stay out of my way or they will not be there at all, #3 get close enough so that when I blow the heck out of that fox-40 they start to question why they were so close, #4 step on toes, back them out, run at them full speed and appear I am looking backward and barely miss them.

I had the same question a few months ago. If you would like to reference that thread, search for "Can Cheerleaders/Mascots Disconcert" They answered my question pretty good for me.

We've been round and round on this issue before. Generally, there's two main schools of thought. One says that they are "official representatives of the school" (and so are mascots) and therefore shouldn't disconcert the shooter the same as a player on the floor or bench personnel.

The other says there is no specific rule to cover this and it is inconsistent to claim you can do this under the rule that says that if something isn't covered, you can just decide for yourself.

Personally, I just make sure they are not standing anywhere where they are likely to get in the way and let them yell all they want. After all, the gyms are usually noisy anyway and - this isn't golf.

When I was officiating in Nevada I had a partner smash one into the wall. I mean the girl had bruises. Next time I did the school the cheerleaders weren't there along the baseline anymore.

I sometime tell them that they are going to cushion me when I smash them into the wall.

That reminds me. Maybe you can tell us about it, RevRef? Last Friday night, when you reffed with Dave, did he knock a cheerleader down? He said he didn't even know he had done it, but when he started up the court she was on the floor and all her friends huddled around her and they said he had knocked her down. Funny.

I don't have any idea Devon. I didn't notice anyone down. Dave is a big guy so I can see how it could happen without a doubt. During the JV girls game, the cheerleaders were right up on the endline. You know me, if she wasn't in my primary, I didn't see her.

Good answer. Speaking of that, worked with Clint last night and he was really bugging me calling ticky-tack fouls right in front of me late in the 25-point blowout game. Then I missed a travel at halfcourt at trail and we were talking about it at half and I admitted that I missed it. He said "yea, I saw it and should have got it", I said "what were you doing looking out to halfcourt when you are on the baseline".

I should have made it clear that this was an older small gym and the cheerleaders were standing on the baseline maybe 8' from the lane extended and I was right among them. If they had been sitting in the stands, there would be no controversy. This happens alot having to step on the cheerleaders in the smaller gyms. I don't understand why they have to be in the "bunch" formation on the endline rather than on the sideline where they can bug the coaches instead of the officials. Usually one or two well placed whistles or stepping on toes has them on the lookout when I am the lead official.
Thanks for the replies. I don't agree with the statement that the cheerleaders are the same as fans. If they were, we certainly wouldn't let them stand on the baseline. I would associate them closer to the team than the fans.

Keep 'em "straight up"

As long as the cheerleaders were standing behind the NFHS recommended six foot line, let them yell all they want. Once again we get ourselves into trouble by worrying about things that are not important to the conduct of the game. Let them scream their heads off. That is their fucnction.

I do not have my rules books in front of me but the two rules referenced by the original poster have nothing to do with cheerleaders. Cheerleaders are not the pep band and they definitely not bench personnel. Unless they get in the way of you and the players during the game or cause actual problems with the conduction of the game because they are getting in the way of the officials or players ignore the cheerleaders.