Rule/Mechanic Changes within last 5 yrs

[BillyMac]

2004-05 NFHS Basketball Rules

COMMENTS ON THE 2004-05 RULES REVISIONS

CONTRASTING COLORED LINES DELETED (1-5-2, 1-13-2): Deletes the requirement for contrasting colored lines for the lane spaces/neutral zone with the lane boundary lines and for the coaching box line to contrast with the boundary lines. Deleting the requirement allows for either contrasting colors or the same color for the lines specified.

HOME TEAM MUST WEAR WHITE IN 2007-08 (3-4-6 Note): Beginning in 2007-08, the home team shall wear white jerseys and the visiting team dark jerseys. More teams are opting for light-colored home jerseys that cause confusion with opponents' dark jerseys. This change ensures similar colors won't be worn by opponents. The new rule only affects varsity uniforms; lower level programs may still continue to wear "Iight-colored" uniforms as home jerseys.

INTENTIONAL KICK RULE EXPANDED (4-29): The rule has been expanded to include intentionally striking the ball with any part of the leg or foot. Kicking is an act that requires use of the entire leg. If it is an intentional act, it should be penalized regardless of where it may have actually struck the player's leg. The previous rule, which only included the knee and below, required an interpretation by officials that was more complicated and subject to misapplication. This change makes the determination simpler and more evenly applied.

OBSTRUCTING AN OPPONENT'S VISION RULE EXPANDED (10-3-7d): Purposely obstructing an opponent's vision by waving or placing hands(s) near his or her eyes now also includes the player with the ball. Previously the rule only prohibited the act against a player without the ball. Guarding a player's eyes should not be allowed as an effort to obstruct any player's movement and is an unsafe act. It is a technical foul whether or not the player has the ball.

PLAYER(S) EJECTED FOR LEAVING BENCH IF FIGHT MAY OCCUR (10-4-4): A bench player will now be ejected if he or she leaves the confines of the bench during a fight or when a fight may break out. Previously there was no coverage in the rules book when bench personnel left the bench when two or more players confronted one another but no fight occurred. These volatile situations can easily degenerate into a fight or worse by the presence of team members from the bench. The penalty is now the same as for leaving the bench during a fight, ejection.