Faking on Free Throws

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

NFHS R9-S1-A3b: After the ball is placed at the disposal of a free thrower, the free thrower shall not fake a try, nor shall any player in a marked lane space fake to cause an opponent to violate.

I do not have a problem with the blue portions of the above sections of NFHS R9-S1-A3b. It is the red portions of the above sections of NFHS R9-S1-A3b to which I strenuousy object. A player in a lane space knows that he canNOT enter the free throw before the ball touches the ring or backboard (NFHS) or before the ball leaves the shooter's hand(s). If you are stupid enough to get faked into the lane before the rules permit you deserve to be called for a free throw violation. When the red portions of the rules were adopted by the NFHS Committee I could not believe that the Committee would time on such nonsense.

Remember, there was a time, many, many, years ago, when the NFHS rules allowed the lane rebounders to enter the lane on the release. In fact, during my twenty-eight years, the NFHS has gone from touch, to release, back to touch. Maybe the portion of the rule dealing with fakes didn't keep up with these changes.