"free" throws

[John Chladek]

How much arm/hand movement by the defense should refs allow during free throws? I know we all coach the players to have their arms/hands up, ready to rebound, but some are obviously doing things solely to distract the shooter. Last Saturday in a girls HS playoff game, whenever team A was shooting free throws, B1 would line up in the last spot on the lane (4th position?), extend her outside (away from the basket, closest to the shooter) hand as far as she could and wiggle her fingers during the free throw, even during the 1st FT of 2. Seemed kind of bush league, and I was surprised a ref didn't tell her to cool it. And what is the penalty if this isn't allowed, a warning and then a technical? Or does A1 just get the free throw over if she misses?

[BigJoe]

The refs should have warned this player immediately that they couldn't do this. The dreaded "finger twinkle" is done by girls all of the time. This is definitely a disconcertion of the shooter and if kept up should be penalized by a free throw violation. The arm should be extended straight out from the shoulder with a closed fist. Hold the whistle and if the shot is missed, blow the whistle and award another free throw.

[Dan_ref]

Yes it's bush, yes the administering official should have told her to knock it off. Along those lines I had a HS boys game last week where the player on the low block coughed during a FT. I told him I usually don't see that type of behavior in games above the middle school level, he didn't cough again.

[Nevadaref]

Boys 1A State Championship 54-53 with about 20 seconds left. The team behind by one is shooting the last of two free throws. The defensive player in the low block claps two or three times after the shooter has received the ball and while he shoots. The shooter misses. The officials did nothing, they had to foul and lost 56-53. I was sitting courtside and thought that I would have called disconcertion.

[devdog69]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
Boys 1A State Championship 54-53 with about 20 seconds left. The team behind by one is shooting the last of two free throws. The defensive player in the low block claps two or three times after the shooter has received the ball and while he shoots. The shooter misses. The officials did nothing, they had to foul and lost 56-53. I was sitting courtside and thought that I would have called disconcertion.

Easy to say while sitting in the stands WATCHING a state championship game

[mick]

Originally posted by devdog69

Easy to say while sitting in the stands WATCHING a state championship game

Yeah, ...easy to say, but thanks to Nevadaref's post, we are a step closer to knowing how to handle it.

[Blackhawk357]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
Boys 1A State Championship 54-53 with about 20 seconds left. The team behind by one is shooting the last of two free throws. The defensive player in the low block claps two or three times after the shooter has received the ball and while he shoots. The shooter misses. The officials did nothing, they had to foul and lost 56-53. I was sitting courtside and thought that I would have called disconcertion.

Boy, that would be tough for me. A few questions if I may:

1) Was the defensive player also encouraging his teammates in a sportsmanlike manner?

2) Had the situation happened prior to the last 20 seconds?

3) If so, had the game officials discussed the consequences of this action with the players?

4) Had there been any unsportsmanlike behavior at any other time in the game?

There are most likely more questions that other poeple would have. This is, IMO, another HTBT situation that will be very tough to decide here, but it's a fun discussion.

Blakchawk

[Nevadaref]

Originally posted by Blackhawk357

Boy, that would be tough for me. A few questions if I may:

1) Was the defensive player also encouraging his teammates in a sportsmanlike manner?

2) Had the situation happened prior to the last 20 seconds?

3) If so, had the game officials discussed the consequences of this action with the players?

4) Had there been any unsportsmanlike behavior at any other time in the game?

There are most likely more questions that other poeple would have. This is, IMO, another HTBT situation that will be very tough to decide here, but it's a fun discussion.

Blakchawk

To answer your questions:
1. NO. I was sitting courtside and tableside on the 28-foot mark at the end of the court where the free-throw was being shot. The player was not saying anything, he was simply making wide swings with his arms that ended in a clap out in front of his waist. He did this twice while the shooter was dribbling and once during the catch and shoot.
2. The player did not do this on the first shot, nor did I observe anything similiar prior in the game.
3.They never said a word.
4. Nothing that I saw.

As I watched the play, I saw the player clap and it caught my attention, I looked at the shooter and he was dribbling. My complete thoughts at the time where that I would blow the whistle now, step in and get the ball back, then scold the player for being a twit. This would prevent any call from having to be made. Now administer the second shot. I have done this in HS games before.
However, once the officials let the free-thrower shoot and miss, I felt that a disconcertion violation had to be called.
Just my opinion. Maybe that is why I was sitting courtside and not at the Lead.

[Blackhawk357]

Originally posted by Nevadaref
The player was not saying anything, he was simply making wide swings with his arms that ended in a clap out in front of his waist. He did this twice while the shooter was dribbling and once during the catch and shoot.

From that discription, I'd say you have a pretty good argument. This is a case where you really need to see it to make a firm decision. You were there, so was the game official. I guess we'll just have to let him live with it, and we will wonder what we would have done if we were on the floor.
(How's that for a political answer?)

Blackhawk