NFHS Basketball Rule Change Helps Keep Players in Game

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 24, 2002) — Beginning next season, high school basketball players will not be automatically forced to leave the game for blood or injury if the problem can be corrected by the end of a called time-out. The rule (3-3-5 and 3-3-6), passed by the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee at its annual meeting April 7-9 in Indianapolis, allows for players to remain in the game if that team calls a time-out.

“At crucial points at the end of a game, players with blood or injury may now be able to stay in the game,” Mary Struckhoff, NFHS liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee said. “The rule gives the team the option to call a time-out to rectify the situation and keep a key player in the game.”

In other changes, Rule 9-13 was added to change the penalty for excessively swinging the arms or elbows to a violation. Previously it was penalized by a technical foul, which the committee felt to be too harsh for a violation that had no physical contact. It was also very seldom called and is believed that, if the objective is to reduce the potential toward rough play, a violation call would achieve the desired results and be called more often.

“Referees were reluctant to call a technical foul, which counts as a personal foul, a team foul, where the other team gets two foul shots and the ball, without any physical contact,” Struckhoff said. “I think now it will get called more.”

Rule 9-1 establishes a new penalty for free throw lane-line violations when one player violates followed by a second violation by the opposite team. The committee felt that a second lane violation is often the result of faking by an opponent. This change only penalizes the first infraction. If the violations are simultaneous, the alternating-possession procedure is to be used.

“Defensive players were learning that if they could draw an offensive player into the lane by going in first, the shot would not count and the possession arrow would be used. This change prohibits that from happening,” Struckhoff said.

Struckhoff also noted that this rule only applies to players in marked lane spaces. If a player from outside the lane is in violation, the rule does not apply.

All three of the above rules changes make the NFHS consistent with NCAA rules.

“I was pleased with the committee’s efforts,” NFHS Basketball Rules Committee Chairman Larry Boucher said. “I think we passed some things that are progressive in nature but are for the betterment of the game.”

Rule 4-12-1 was added to clarify what happens during a jump-ball infraction. It shall no longer be considered player-control when a jumper catches the ball prior to the ball touching the floor or a non-jumper. Before, this was the only jump-ball violation that resulted in the offending team losing the ball and the possession arrow, essentially a double penalty. This change simplifies the rule by only considering the violation by the player catching the tap, resulting in the opposing team receiving the throw-in and the arrow set toward the team that violated.

Other rules changes approved by the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee are:

· Rule 4-19-9 changed the existing definition to include a simultaneous personal. “A simultaneous foul (technical or personal) by opponents…” Before the change there was no definition of a simultaneous personal foul.

· Rule 9-7 was changed to delete the requirement for the three-second count to be terminated during an interrupted dribble. Since team control is still in effect, the count should continue. The rule was inconsistent with the rule concerning a loose ball.

· A change in Rule 10-3-11 eliminates basket interference during a free throw as a technical foul. With the current restrictions on players waiting until the ball hits the rim on a free throw, it is very difficult to commit basket interference. If it does occur, it is most often an unintentional act. Therefore, goaltending during a free throw will remain a technical foul, as it is likely an intentional act.

The establishment of a new signal for the violation of excessively swinging arms and/or elbows was added to the signal chart.

According to the 2001 High School Athletics Participation Survey conducted by the NFHS, basketball is the No. 1 sport for girls and No. 2 sport for boys at the high school level with 452,728 and 539,749 participants, respectively. More high schools sponsor basketball than any other sport, with 17,135 sponsoring schools for boys and 16,756 sponsoring schools for girls.

2002-03 NFHS Basketball Rule Changes

3-3-5 and 3-3-6	Permits a player who is required to leave the game for blood or injury to remain in the game if the team calls a time-out and the situation can be corrected by the resumption of play. Rationale: The current rule can have a tremendous impact on the game when a key player has blood (which may not even be their own) and must leave late in the game, without the ability to immediately return.
4-12-1	Added an exception to the definition of control by a player: “It shall not be considered player control when, during a jump ball, a jumper catches the ball prior to the ball touching the floor or a non-jumper. Rationale: By interpretation, this used to be the only infraction by the jumper, (of four, 6-4-7 a. through d.), that resulted in the offending team losing the ball and the arrow. Case Book play 6.3.1C specified that if a jumper caught the ball on a jump ball, that player had controlled the tap and has violated by catching the ball. This essentially resulted in a double penalty. Officials at the high school level have difficulty with this interpretation. This change simplifies the rule by only considering the violation by the player catching the tap, resulting in the opposing team receiving the throw-in, and the arrow set toward the team that violated.
4-19-9	Changed the definition to include a simultaneous personal foul. “A simultaneous foul (technical or personal) by opponents. . .” Rationale: There was no definition of a simultaneous personal foul.
9-1 Penalty	Establishes a new penalty for free throw lane-line violations when one player violates followed by a second violation by the opposite team. Rationale: A second lane-line violation is often the result of faking. This change only penalizes the first infraction. If the violations are simultaneous, the alternating-possession procedure would still be used.
9-7	Deletes the requirement for the three-second count to be terminated during an interrupted dribble. Rationale: Team control is still in effect. Rule was inconsistent with the rule concerning a “loose ball.”
9-13 New	Changes the penalty for excessively swinging arms or elbow(s) to a violation (from a technical foul). Rationale: The previous rule of a technical foul was very seldom called, as the penalty was very severe: 2-shots, ball goes to the opponent, player charged with one technical, which also counts toward that player’s five for disqualification and the team foul count; all without any contact to the opponent. If the object is to reduce the potential toward rough play, a violation call would be an enforceable penalty that would also likely achieve the desired results.
10-3-11	Deletes basket interference during a free throw as a technical foul. Rationale: With the current restrictions on players waiting until the ball hits the rim on a free throw, it is very difficult to commit basket interference during a free throw, and if it occurs, it is most often an unintentional act. Goaltending during a free throw will remain a technical foul, as it is likely an intentional act.
Signal Chart	Adds a new signal for the violation of excessively swinging arms and/or elbows. Rationale: Better communication for all concerned; fans, team benches, and scorer’s table.