NFHS Closely Guarded Rule History

[Remington]

Hi All ~ During a HS game last night my partner called a closely guarded violation. A1 dribbling and guarded by B1, then a switch and guarded by B2 and stayed w/in 6 feet. Easy call. The coach argued that a switch required a new count (coach officiates NCAA-M rule set) and after the game asked about it and apologized for not knowing the rule.

My question is, has the count always continued under NFHS if any opponent remained w/in 6 feet or was that rule changed a few years back? The oldest book I have was 2004 and it was the rule then. Just wondering if anyone knows the history. I tried doing a search but couldn't find anything.

Thanks in advance for any insight you may have.

[bob jenkins]

That has been the FED rule for a long time.

[SC Official]

A coach that felt bad about not knowing the rules and differences between high school and college? There is hope!

But seriously, that's been the rule for awhile. It's not common to have a closely guarded violation on a defensive switch, so most non-officials will not know that rule.

[mutantducky]

I called a CG this week. easy call, no controversy. But, I was thinking after where would you stop the count. So you start it at the top, then the guard dribbles down the side and the defender is right with him on the side. I was just thinking where you would stop? I will always stop if the offensive player gets in front. But is that the whole body, the upper torso?
These kind of calls are usually by feel so probably minor but I wasn't 100% certain if I have a situation like that.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mutantducky

I called a CG this week. easy call, no controversy. But, I was thinking after where would you stop the count. So you start it at the top, then the guard dribbles down the side and the defender is right with him on the side. I was just thinking where you would stop? I will always stop if the offensive player gets in front. But is that the whole body, the upper torso?
These kind of calls are usually by feel so probably minor but I wasn't 100% certain if I have a situation like that.

The rule gives you some guidance on this, I believe.

[Mark Padgett]

The rule has been around for a long time. I remember discussing it with Dr. Naismith. He put it in as a 5 minute rule because too many teams were taking 7, 8 or even 10 minutes between passes.

Here's one of the first teams to play under that rule. MTD Sr. and I worked some of their games and that rule made a big difference. Teams were now scoring more than 3 points a game!

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by Adam

The rule gives you some guidance on this, I believe.

Originally Posted by NFHS 4-10-1

... A closely guarded count shall be terminated when the offensive player in control of the ball gets his/her head and shoulders past the defensive player.

Originally Posted by NFHS 9-10-3

A closely guarded count shall be terminated during an interrupted dribble.

Why they put one of these in the Definitions section and one in Violations and Penalties section is one of Life's Great Mysteries.

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

Why they put one of these in the Definitions section and one in Violations and Penalties section is one of Life's Great Mysteries.

Having recently read the HS rule book for the first time in 30 years, the structure and some of the writing almost seems like they tried to make it hard to figure out what the rules really are . . .

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Remington

During a HS game last night my partner called a closely guarded violation. A1 dribbling and guarded by B1, then a switch and guarded by B2 and stayed w/in 6 feet. Easy call.

Not the same exact play, but a similar one on an IAABO Refresher Exam about fifteen years ago. B1 closely guards ball handler A1. A1 dribbles around a screen legally set by A2, screener A2 is momentarily between A1, and B1, but B1 is still within six feet of A1 the entire time. Five seconds elapse and the official calls a five second closely guarded violation on A1. Is the official correct?

It's kind of fuzzy, but I thought that I answered, "Yes", and got it wrong. IAABO may have admitted that it was a bad answer, and I believe that it was due to a difference between the NCAA rule, and the NFHS rule. IAABO confused? Who would have guessed?

Anybody else remember that? What is the right answer for NCAA? For NFHS?

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

That has been the FED rule for a long time.

And I would bet it was an NCAA rule at first, too. Chances are the NCAA changed the rule at some point. Maybe around the same time the shot clock came about, but I'm not sure.

This is where the history lesson most likely lies.