Basketball Comments on the Rules - 2024-25

By NFHS on July 23, 2024 basketball Print

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1-19 — Technology continues to evolve within the sporting landscape and parameters have been added to the use of electronic devices during a game. Electronic devices may be used during a game for the purposes of recording and tracking stats, reviewing or diagramming plays, or performing other similar contest related functions. This allows for technology to be used as a coaching tool while prohibiting the use of technology for voice and video recording by players, coaches, or other bench personnel during a contest.

2-11-11 — Requiring the non-official scorer(s) to compare records with the official scorer when multiple scorers are present allows the official scorer to remain focused on game activity. It places the responsibility of comparing scoring and other bookkeeping information on the auxiliary scorer(s).

2-12-6 (NEW), 3-3-7, 3-3-7 NOTE 1 — Allowing 20 seconds for a player to address any minor blood on the body or uniform without leaving the game provides a short interval to address a blood-related issue without excessively delaying the game, while still addressing the health-related concerns associated with blood on a player. If the blood cannot be appropriately covered/cleaned within 20 seconds, the head coach may take a time-out or substitute for the player.

3-3-6 — When a player is injured and the official beckons for a coach or bench personnel to attend to the injured player, the player must leave the game. If no coach or bench personnel respond to the beckon, the player will still be required to leave the game. Additionally, if the coach or bench personnel enter the court to attend to an injured player without waiting to be beckoned, the player will be required to leave the court, creating consistency for officials when an injury occurs. The coach can use a time-out to continue assessment of the injury and keep the injured player in the game.

3-4-4a (NEW) — Approving the use of a school logo/mascot image to be centered directly above the uniform number in place of an identifying name removes the restriction of allowing only lettering on the front of the jersey. Schools will have the opportunity to align with trends in the sport while continuing to represent their school.

4-6-1 EXCEPTION (NEW) — A player(s) may contact the net while the ball is on or within the basket provided the contact has no effect on the ball, allowing play to continue unless the contact interferes with the try for goal. This exception to basket interference aligns with the intent of the rule to prohibit contact that impacts a try for goal.

4-10 EXCEPTION (NEW), 9-10-1a NOTE (NEW) — State associations may adopt a modification to the closely guarded rule if they have adopted the 35-second shot clock. The modification allows players to dribble the ball for more than five seconds while closely guarded and maintains that a player may not hold the ball for five or more seconds while closely guarded. Teams in states utilizing the shot clock have a 35-second time limit to attempt a try for goal, and states may decide not to limit a player that is dribbling to five seconds while closely guarded.

4-47-5 (NEW), 10-2-1g (NEW), 10-4-5b — The penalty for a player failing to immediately pass the ball to the nearer official when a whistle sounds was formerly a player technical on the first offense. The new penalty (warning for delay for the first offense and team technical for subsequent offense) allows officials to issue a warning before assessing a technical. The technical will now be assessed to the team and not the player, lessening the severity of the penalty while addressing the behavior.

4-49 (NEW), 6-4-4g, 10-2-1h (NEW), 10-4-6f — A new definition and warning for faking being fouled has been added to provide examples and allow for a more appropriate penalty escalation. Faking being fouled has been modified from a player technical to a warning for the first violation and a team technical for any subsequent offense. This change will allow officials to issue a warning before assessing a technical, and the technical will now be assessed to the team and not the player, lessening the severity of the penalty while addressing the behavior.

7-1-1 — A player cannot be assisted by a teammate or other bench personnel on or outside of the boundary line to remain in bounds. The player is out of bounds if contact with anyone outside the boundary line provides an advantage by allowing the player to remain in bounds. This change eliminates the possibility of anyone outside of a boundary line assisting a player to prevent an out of bounds violation.

10-1-1 PENALTY, 10-1-2 PENALTY, 10-2-7 PENALTY (NEW), 10-5-1 PENALTY (NEW) — All administrative, team and bench technical fouls that occur during pregame, in equal numbers, offset – no free throws are awarded – and the game will start with a jump ball and the head coach does not lose the privilege of the coaching box. Teams may not intentionally violate any rules in equal numbers to initiate this rule (i.e., allow the same number of players on each team to dunk) as this is not the intent of the rule and shall be addressed by the official.

10-2-7 (NEW), 10-5-1i — The penalty for dunking or attempting to dunk or stuff a dead ball has been reclassified as a team technical. This change continues to penalize the offending team by granting the offended team two free-throws and the ball to start the period. A foul is also added to the team count, but no longer requires the coach to lose the coaching box. No personal foul is assessed, lessening the severity of the penalty while addressing the behavior.