Free Throw Shooter

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

The difference is that this violation can only occur at one location.....much easier to watch than 6 locations along the lane.

That said, I never bought that it makes a difference in watching for the violation. Either way, you have to determine if any player enters the lane before some independent event (shot released or shot hits).

For the release, I can stand at floor level and observe the players in the marked lane spaces as well as see the shooter with the ball in his hands and determine when it is released. All of this is easily within my field of vision.

For the ball contacting the ring or backboard, I cannot (especially from the Lead position) see that instant without having to look up and in a different location than where the players along the lane are. My field of view does not contain both of these.

The above is why I much prefer the release for judging FT violations as opposed to contact on the ring or backboard.

Again for the NFHS to now add a second moment which the L and C must observe in order to properly determine violations is poor.

I would offer that a mechanics change should be made to make this secondary violation the responsibility of the T in 3-man as the T is already taking the players outside of the 3pt line and their restriction is when the ball contacts the ring or backboard. For 2-man, I believe that the NFHS has given the officials an impossible task--observe two different timing points for violations in two different locations as well as clean up rough play in the rebounding action as the players enter the lane.