One-and-one free throws going away in high-school basketball for safety reasons
When the next high-school basketball game tips off in Washington this year, one-and-one free throws will not be part of it.
The National Federal of State High School Association (NFHS), which sets the on-field rules for high-school sports across the nation, announced the change this week, citing safety as the reason.
The NFHS said its rules committee studied data that said there was a higher injury rate during rebounding situations. This rule change reduces rebounding situations as there will be no opportunity for a rebound after the first free throw in a one-and-one situation. In bonus situations, teams will shoot two free throws for all common fouls.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is not obligated to follow all NHFS rules, but it does in most cases. The WIAA is expected to adopt this change at its Executive Board meeting next month, said sports and activities information director Casey Johnson.
The NFHS also changed the rules for when a team reaches the bonus. A team reaches the bonus when their opponent commits five fouls in each quarter and team fouls reset at the end of the quarter. Previously, the bonus was reached with the seventh foul in a half and the double bonus was hit at 10 fouls.
“Additionally, resetting the fouls each quarter will improve game flow and allow teams to adjust their play by not carrying foul totals to quarters two and four,” Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports, said in a release.
According to the NHFS, basketball is the third-most popular high-school sports for boys and fourth-most popular for girls.
Source: The Seattle Times
