Doubt it.

Peace

You've seen the HS clips we post on the forum. Some HS officials have enough trouble handling the rule as it is. Do you really think NFHS wants to go there?

Free Throw Free-For-All?
 

Does anyone else foresee the new free throw rule leading to a lot of illegal pushing and jockeying for position upon release?

I think the new rule will make our jobs a little easier with regard to lane violations, but I see things getting more physical after release...especially with boys.

Yeah, but I'm not worried about it.

Do I understand the new/old rule correctly? -- The rebounders along the lane can enter upon release, but the shooter and those not along the lane have to wait until the ball contacts the rim or backboard?

Many of us in our area start using the new rules during summer ball, so that the players and we can be used to them when next school season starts. I wan t to be sure I'm getting it right.

I don't think this will be a big issue. I always felt that the "enter on contact" rules put the offense in a much more favorable position than "on release rules did". And putting the offense in a more favorable position increases the incidental contact as both sides battle for the rebound and have a realistic shot at getting it.

The "on release" rule means that the defense has a significant advantage by having an extra second to box out before having to the rebound. And therefore, the defensive rebound becomes much more automatic. I expect that displacement fouls will become more obvious and easier to call when they happen and that rough play will be minimized as most teams will simply conceed the defensive rebound rather than risk a foul on one of their center/forwards.

Ah, wasn't aware of that.

I can see where the NFHS/NCAA-W rule is easier to call. There's more judgment involved deciding when the upward motion starts, as opposed to objective nature of leaving the floor.

Assuming the new rule is written like the old rule / NCAA rule, then you are correct.

Thanks, Bob.

No. Not at all honestly. I do not think of this anymore than I did before and I do not think it would be any different than college ball which never changed their rule back to what the NF had in place. And players already put there arm across or moved out players on some level when the ball had to hit the rim or backboard.

Peace

Absolutely. You open a new window of time where players will want to improve their position. The player in the first space will try to move the 2nd player back...what some call boxing out but what was often a foul that went uncalled at the HS level when this rule was last in effect. The 2nd player will try to move the 1st player forward...also often uncalled. With the rule as it was the last decade+, that opportunity largely didn't exist. That was the #1 reason the NFHS, in the late 90's, changed the rule to free-on-contact.

Will HS officials do a better job this time? Not likely. There will be rough play in some games that isn't dealt with properly.

As for it being easier, how so? You still have an event that separates when players may or may not enter. You have to watch for that event, whatever it is, and the players at the same time. Only now, you have two events (the release and the contact) and two sets of players (in lane spaces and everyone else)...some can enter on the release and some when it hits. I don't think it is difficult to cover either one, but the new change certainly doesn't make it easier.

And whatever time you let players enter is the time you have to shift to watching for fouls.


I'm OK with the change, I just don't agree with the explanations given for the change.

Now that players are allowed upon the release, are they going to put back in the rules a comment about a player in a marked lane space cannot make contact with the shooter until the ball hits the rim/backboard? Or is that rule still in there?

I think we'll have to wait until the language is released.

Can't break the plane of the free throw line. That was the rule back then, IIRC. It's baseball season, so I'm not digging out a rulebook to see if that's still in there.

That wasn't always the rule....that came in only in the last few years before changing away from the release. There was a time when the player along the line could go anywhere they wanted after the release...even into the shooter's area. I'm not sure how it really matters any more with the shooter since the shot is gone. It isn't like the player is going to disrupt the actual FT.