What's the Difference Between FIBA, NCAA and NFHS
 

Alright, I have been on here for a little while and read a lot of different threads. I truly learned a lot through here...Anyway, next year I will be taking the officiating class (17yrs) then when I am 18, I will take the class again and become a class/level 3 referee.

However, I keep hearing some of these refs saying things about FIBA, NCAA, NFHS. My question is, what is the difference between them? I know the NFHS but what is the difference between NFHS and FIBA and NCAA? Just wondering.

-Lucas

NFHS: US high schools (most anyway). Some states have variations but most use these rules as their basis.
FIBA: International rules.
NCAA: US college rules. Men have some different rules from Women.

There isn't just one difference, there are a lot of differences. They're all still basketball (or, in FIBA's case, "basketballe"), but there are a lot of minor differences between them.

NFHS is for high school basketball in the United States, and currently also in Ontario, Canada.

NCAA is for college/univeristy basketball in the United States.

FIBA is the rule set for international basketball, such as found in the Olympics. FIBA is also used in many other cases: such as youth basketball across Canada, and in high schools in Canada, but outside of Ontario.

You're probably in the US, so the best rule set for you to study, at first, is Federation (NFHS). If you're very successful with officiating, you may enjoy hitting the international circuit, such as being an official for the PanAm games, the Olypics, the World University Games, the World Asian Games, etc.... in which case you'll need to be FIBA certified. One NBA official, Scott somebody, is actually FIBA certified.

Other leagues can use whatever rule set they want. For example: men's leagues in your area, though not part of the school system, can use either Federation or NCAA rules. Or they can use FIBA rules or even NBA rules.

Snaqs:

Actually, if one takes the time to read the NFHS, NCAA Men's/Women's, FIBA, and NBA/WNBA rules books and casebooks, one will see that the four rules sets have far more in common than not in common. One example is the definition of guarding and screening. The NFHS, NCAA Men's/Women's, and FIBA rules are identical word-for-word. From a historical stand point it does not hurt to study the NAGWS rules to see how they were affected by FIBA rules and how NAGWS affected NCAA Women's.

But as previously stated JugglingReferee, I would recommend learning the NFHS rules first followed by NCAA Menn's/Women's rules before tackling FIBA and NBA/WNBA rules.

MTD, Sr.

Agreed. That's why I said the differences are minor; and it's all still basketball(e).

Sauf que le "basketball" en français est basket-ball.

Y en espanol, es "basquetball."

That's what I thought, but I wanted to make sure. I was just wanted to know. I heard between the NCAA and NFHS isn't a big difference. I heard mostly on tech and some specifications, but other than that, not too big.

Thanks for your replies.

-Lucas

Basquettebaille.

Maybe as a measure of the rules differences nfhs/ncaa/fiba, I've worked games with players new to ncaa just coming out of nfhs - they seem very comfortable, don't ask questions too much, seem to fit right in. I've also worked games with players new to ncaa just coming out of fiba, they really don't feel comfortable with the rules differences, ask for help, don't seem to fit in as well.

FWIW.

Ontario's change from NFHS to FIBA has been uneventful in my experience. The differences are minor. Also, since many Canadian athletes also played with NCAA rules, or "modified NCAA" rules, their transfer to FIBA has been uneventful as well.

Uh... no.
Baloncesto or Basquetbol. Alguien no habla much el espanol.

My bad. Misspelled it, and was afraid of that as I was typing it. I was thinking it was probably spelled "bol."

Hablo un español pequeño.

BTW, I could have sworn "much" was "mucho." Guess I was incorrecto.

In Italian, it's baskettiball.

It's true, it's true.......

asketballbay

Do you guys really want me to comment on what's the difference between NF/NCAA rules and FEEBLE? You'd have to cover your virgin ears. ;)

I know, I know.....

Under FIBA rules, if the other team wins the opening tip, France surrenders.

It's true, it's true......