1-19: Limits the use of electronic devices used during a game for the purposes of recording and tracking stats, reviewing or diagramming plays, or other similar contest related functions.
Rationale: Clarifies the type of electronic devices that are allowed during the game, prohibiting the use of voice and video recording devices worn during a contest.
2-11-11: Requires the non-official scorer(s) to compare records with the official scorer when multiple scorers are present.
Rationale: Allows the official scorer to remain focused on game activity and places the responsibility of comparing scoring and other bookkeeping information on the auxiliary scorer(s).
3-3-6: Requires a player who has been injured to be removed from the game if the coach is beckoned by the official, whether the coach enters the playing area or not, or if bench personnel (i.e., a coach or athletic trainer) enters the court without being beckoned. The coach may still use a time-out to continue assessment of the injury and keep the injured player in the game.
Rationale: It creates consistency for officials that an injured player is subject to removal from the game when an injury occurs, and the coach/team personnel are beckoned or if they enter the court without an official beckoning.
3-3-7: Allows 20 seconds for a player to address any minor blood on the body or uniform without leaving the game. If the blood cannot be appropriately covered/cleaned within 20 seconds, the head coach may take a time-out to address the issue or substitute for the player.
Rationale: Provides a short interval of time to handle a blood related issue without delaying the game, while still addressing the health-related concerns associated with blood on a player.
A new rule provides a team with 20 seconds to address a player(s) who is bleeding or has blood on the uniform without being charged a time-out. Officials should allow the player( s) to report to the sideline near the team bench before signaling the timer to begin the 20-second timer. If resolved within the 20-second time limit, the player will be permitted to remain in the game. If the issue is not resolved within 20 seconds, a coach may request a time-out to allow the player to remain in the game, if the situation can be corrected by the end of the time-out.
Coaches and bench personnel (i.e. athletic trainers) should review the General Guidelines for Sports Hygiene, Skin Infections and Communicable Diseases found in the appendices before administering first aid.
3-4-4a (NEW): Allows the use of a school logo/mascot image to be centered directly above the uniform number in place of an identifying name.
Rationale: Removes the restriction of allowing only lettering on the front of the jersey.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
4-6-1 EXCEPTION (NEW): Creates an exception to basket interference by allowing a player(s) to touch only the net while the ball is on or within the basket provided that the contact did not affect the ball.
Rationale: Allows play to continue unless the contact of the net affects the try for goal.
4-47-5 (NEW), 10-2-1g (NEW), 10-4-5b: Changes the penalty for failing to immediately pass the ball to the nearer official when a whistle sounds from a player technical to a warning for delay for the first violation and a team technical for any subsequent offense.
Rationale: Allows 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.
4-49 (NEW), 10-2-1g (NEW), 10-4-6f: Changes the penalty for faking being fouled from a player technical to a warning for the first violation and a team technical for any subsequent offense and adds a definition and examples.
Rationale: Allows 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.
Faking Being Fouled
“Faking Being Fouled” was added to the NFHS Basketball Rules Book twenty years ago as an unsporting foul committed by a player, resulting in a player technical. In 2004-2005, the Rules Committee addressed “Specific Unsporting Acts” as a Point of Emphasis, and “Flopping” was one of the points. Twenty years later, faking being fouled continues to be a point of concern for the rules committee. This year, the rules committee added a warning (4-49) and defined faking being fouled as:
A warning will now be issued for the first instance, lessening the severity of the penalty while continuing to address the behavior. A technical foul will be assessed to the team for each subsequent occurrence. Officials will utilize the new signal No. 15 at the time the flop occurs. Providing officials with an opportunity to warn a player before issuing a technical foul will allow players to adjust their behaviors before receiving a harsher penalty. Proper Procedures for Handling Blood There is an inherent risk to participating in interscholastic athletics. While rules committees prioritize player safety within the rules writing process, injuries still occur. Previously, when an injury occurred that involved blood on a player and/or a uniform, play was stopped immediately, and the player was directed to leave the game until the bleeding was stopped, the wound was covered, the uniform and/or body was appropriately cleaned, and/or the uniform was changed before returning (3-3-7). Often, the situation can be resolved quickly by covering the wound with a bandage and/or properly cleaning a uniform and/or player’s skin.
7-1-1: Establishes that a player is out of bounds if contact by a teammate or other bench personnel outside the boundary line provides an advantage, allowing the player to remain in bounds.
Rationale: Establishes that a player cannot be assisted from outside the boundary line by teammates or bench personnel to remain in-bounds.
9-3-3 — Establishing that a player may step out of bounds without penalty unless they are the first player to touch the ball after returning to the court or if they left the court to avoid a violation allows the game to continue without stoppage when the player’s actions did not create an advantage.
9-10-1a NOTE (NEW), 4-10: Allows state associations to adopt a modification to the closely guarded rule if they have adopted the 35-second shot clock, allowing players to dribble the ball for more than five seconds while closely guarded and maintain that a player may not hold the ball for five or more seconds.
Rationale: Permits states utilizing the 35-second shot clock to allow players to dribble without enforcing the closely guarded rule since they have a 35-second time limit to attempt a try for goal, maintaining an appropriate pace of play.
10-1-1 PENALTY, 10-1-2 PENALTY, 10-2-7 PENALTY (NEW), 10-5-1 PENALTY(NEW): Establishes that all administrative, team and bench technical fouls that occur during pregame 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.
Rationale: Clarifies that an equal number of technical fouls committed by both teams during pregame offset and establishes how the game will start after offsetting technical fouls.
10-2-7 (NEW), 10-5-1i: Changes the penalty for dunking or attempting to dunk or stuff a dead ball from a bench technical to a team technical.
Rationale: Continues to penalize the offending team with a team technical foul (free-throws, offended team the ball to start the period, a foul added to the team count), but no longer requires the coach to lose the coaching box to start the game and no personal foul is awarded.
Delaying a game and allowing it to develop into an actionless contest is not beneficial to anyone involved in interscholastic competition. One of the officials’ roles is to ensure the game maintains an appropriate pace of play, including throughout the administration of penalties, throw-ins, free throws, etc. The NFHS rules allow for officials to give an initial warning to teams that violate Rule 4-47, which defines a warning for delay as an administrative procedure by an official that is recorded in the scorebook by the scorer and reported to the head coach. Warnings may be issued for the following:
Any two delay warnings will result in a team technical foul. The warnings do not have to be issued for the same reason or to the same player or team member to escalate to a team technical foul.
Officials must utilize the Warning for Delay as soon as the behavior occurs. Initiating the warning allows the behavior to be addressed early. Failing to address behavior that violates this rule before initiating a warning may create confusion among coaches and players, creating an environment that becomes more difficult to manage.
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