Penalty for Disconcertion . . . by Whom?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Freddy

NFHS 9-1-3 After the ball is placed at the disposal of a free thrower:
c. No opponent shall disconcert the free thrower.

By rule, is it correct, however, that the penalty for disconcertion, when it is merited, may differ, depending on the disconcerter(s)?
Consider: if the opponent doing the disconcerting is a player on the floor, then the consequence is a violation (9-1-PENALTIES-2-a,b).
However, if the opponent(s) doing the disconcerting is bench personnel, must that be a T for unsporting conduct, and not a violation?

At the heart of the matter is this: by rule, can a violation ever be called on a non-player?

(Real situation from the last day of a camp today)

There has been at least one other thread regarding this situation on this Forum and I think one on the NFHS Basketball Forum.

First, it is my opinion (just my two cents and not my interpretation), for both NFHS and NCAA Rules that when the inappropriate actions are done by Bench Personnel, the infraction should be an Unsportsmanlike TF. And, I have never (with apologies to the late J. Dallas Shirely) seen an NFHS or NCAA interpretation one way or the other regarding inappropriate actions by Bench Personnel.

That said, it has been the concensus of many of the esteemed members of both this Forum and the NFHS Forum, that Disconcertion can be charged to Bench Personnel. I can live with that interpretation to a point, because I believe that there are situations where tha actions by the Bench Personnel could be so egregious that the appropriate infraction should be an Unsportsmanlike TF rather that a Disconcertion Violation.

MTD, Sr.