With the season beginning tomorrow, with it will come all the same cries and arguments from the "refs in the stands" that really don't know the game at all. With that said, here are some of the most commonly misunderstood rules in NFHS (high school) basketball.
It is important to know the intent and purpose of a rule so that it may be intelligently applied in each play situation. A player of a team should not be permitted an advantage which is not intended by a rule. Neither should play be permitted to develop which may lead to placing a player at a disadvantage not intended by a rule.
1. A player cannot touch the ball, ring or net while the ball is on the ring or within the basket. A player cannot touch the ball if it is in the imaginary cylinder above the ring. These are examples of basket interference. It is legal to touch the ring or the net if the ball is above the ring and not touching the ring, even if the ball is in the imaginary cylinder above the ring. It is legal to hang on the ring if a player is avoiding an injury to himself or herself or another player.
2. The backboard has nothing to do with goaltending. Goaltending is when a player touches the ball during a try, or tap, while it is in its downward flight, entirely above the basket ring level, outside the imaginary cylinder above the ring, and has the possibility of entering the basket. On most layups, the ball is going up immediately after it contacts the backboard, and in this situation it is legal for a defender to touch the ball if it is not in the imaginary cylinder above the basket. Slapping or striking the backboard is neither basket interference, nor is it goaltending, and points cannot be awarded. A player who intentionally or deliberately slaps or strikes a backboard, during a tap, or try, so forcefully that it cannot be ignored because it is an attempt to draw attention to the player, or a means of venting frustration, may be assessed a technical foul. When a player simply attempts to block a shot, and accidentally or incidentally slaps the backboard, regardless of how much it causes the backboard to shake or vibrate, is neither a violation, nor is it a technical foul.
3. The front, top, sides and bottom of the backboard are all in play. The ball cannot legally pass over a rectangular backboard in either direction. The back of a backboard is out of bounds, as well as any supporting structures.
4. The traveling rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in basketball. To start a dribble, the ball must be released before the pivot foot is lifted, but may not return to the floor before the ball is released. A player may slide on the floor while trying to secure a loose ball until that player's momentum stops. At that point that player cannot attempt to get up, or rollover. A player securing a ball while on the floor cannot attempt to stand up unless that player starts a dribble. A player in this situation may also pass, shoot, or request a timeout. If the player is flat on his, or her, back, that player may sit up without violating.
5. A player must be holding the ball (with rare exception) in order to travel. A player can't travel while dribbling, while tapping the ball, or while fumbling it. During a fumble the player is not in control of the ball, and therefore, cannot be called for a traveling violation. A fumble is the accidental loss of player control when the ball is unintentionally dropped, or slips from a player's grasp. After a player has ended a dribble and fumbled the ball, that player may recover the ball without violating. Any steps taken during the recovery of a fumble are not traveling, regardless of how far the ball goes, and the amount of advantage that is gained. It is always legal to recover a fumble, even at the end of a dribble; however that player cannot begin a new dribble, which would be an illegal dribble violation. A player who fumbles the ball when receiving a pass may legally start a dribble.
6. A player holding the ball may not touch the floor with a knee or any other body part other than the hand or foot. After gaining control while on the floor and touching with anything other than a hand or foot, a player may not attempt to get up or stand.
7. A shooter can retrieve one's own airball if the official considers it to be a legitimate shot attempt, or if the ball hits the backboard. It is not a violation for that player to start another dribble at that point.
8. If a defender puts a hand(s) on a ball controlled by an airborne shooter (or passer), such that the airborne player is unable to release the ball, that player has not traveled, it is a held ball. If, in another similar situation, the airborne player loses control of the ball because of the touch, then this is simply a blocked shot. It is not a violation for that player to start a dribble at that point. If, in a similar situation, the defender simply touches the ball, and the airborne player chooses not to release the ball, and returns to the floor holding the ball, it is a traveling violation.
9. Palming, or carrying, is when the ball comes to rest in the dribbler's hand, and the player either travels with the ball, or illegally dribbles a second time. There is no restriction as to how high a player may bounce the ball, provided the dribbler's hand stays on top of the ball, and the ball does not come to rest in the dribbler's hand. Steps taken during a dribble are not traveling, including several steps that may be taken when a high dribble takes place. It is not possible for a player to travel during a dribble. It is not a dribble when a player stands still and holds the ball and touches it to the floor once or more than once.
10. A player inbounding the ball may step on, but not over the line and onto the court. The traveling rule and pivot foot restrictions are not in effect for the inbounder. During a designated spot throw-in, the player inbounding the ball must keep one foot on, or over, the three foot wide designated spot. An inbounding player is allowed to jump, or move one, or both feet. A player inbounding the ball may move backward as far as the five second time limit, or space allows. If a player moves outside the three-foot-wide designated spot, it is a throw-in violation, not traveling. In gymnasiums with limited space outside the sidelines, and endlines, a defensive player may be asked to step back no more than three feet. A player inbounding the ball may dribble the ball on the out of bounds area prior to making a throw-in. The illegal dribble rules is not in effect during a throw-in
11. After a goal, or awarded goal, the team not credited with the score shall make the throw-in from any point outside the end line, in other words, the thrower may move to any spot along the end line. A team retains this run the end line privilege if a timeout is called during the dead ball period after the goal. After a goal, or awarded goal, any player of the team may make a direct throw-in, or may pass the ball along the end line to a teammate outside the boundary line.
12. The defender may not break the boundary plane during a throw-in until the ball has been released on a throw-in pass. If the defender breaks the boundary plane during a throw-in before the ball has been released on a throw-in pass, the defender's team will receive a team delay warning, or if the team has already been warned for one of the four delay situations, this action would result in a team technical foul. If the defender contacts the ball after breaking the boundary plane, it is a player technical foul and a team delay warning will be recorded. If the defender breaks the boundary plane, and contacts or fouls the inbounding player, it is an intentional personal foul, and a team delay warning will be recorded. It is an intentional personal foul if the defneder fouls the inbounding player, even without breaking the boundary plane, however, in this specific case, there is no delay of game warning because the defender did not break the boundary plane.
13. The inbounding player does not have a plane restriction, but has five seconds to release the ball, and it must come directly onto the court. The ball shall not enter the basket before it is touched by another player, nor may it become lodged between the backboard and ring or come to rest on the flange before it is touched by another player. The ball can always be passed into the backcourt during a throw-in. This situation is not a backcourt violation.
14. A player who steps out of bounds under the player's own volition and then becomes the first player to touch the ball after returning to the playing court and has gained an advantage has committed a violation. A player whose momentum causes that player to accidentally go out of bounds may be the first to touch the ball inbounds if an advantage is not gained and such player immediately returns inbounds. That player must have something in, and nothing out. It is not necessary to have both feet back inbounds.
15. It is a technical foul for a plyaer to leave the playing court for an unauthorized reason to demonstrate resentment, disgust or intimidation. It is a techincal foul for a player to purposely or deceitfully delay returning after legally being out of bounds.
www.triond.net
