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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – There are several rule changes coming to high school basketball this season, but one of them is a big change that will affect players who pretend to be fouled.
The National Federation of State High School Associations has approved more than a dozen changes to high school basketball leagues that will take effect in the 2024-25 season.
“The committee approved changes that address a variety of areas,” said NFHS Athletic Director Lindsey Atkinson. “The committee's focus remains on player safety, fairness, balance and a continued focus on the rules that allow officials to adjudicate effectively.”
One of the big changes to the rules is defining the term “flopping” and how players are penalized for it. Flopping is defined as “when a player pretends to be fouled or makes theatrical or exaggerated movements when there is no illegal contact.” A player who pretends to be fouled may first be given a team warning and then receive a team technical foul, which is updated from a mere player technical foul. Warnings will be notified to the head coach and recorded in the scorebook.
“(The committee) wants to eliminate this type of cheating from the game,” said Billy Strickland, executive director of the Alaska School Activities Association and chairman of the Basketball Rules Committee.
Other rule changes include:
- Removed rule that only allowed lettering on the front of the jersey.
- If the mascot appears on the front of the jersey, it must be centered directly above the number.
- Allows states with 35-second shot clocks to choose to eliminate the strict five-second requirement while a player dribbles the ball.
- Use of electronic devices is limited to statistical recording/tracking only. Audio or video recording is prohibited.
- If the team has a second scorekeeper, they are responsible for comparing the score with the official scorer and notifying the referee of any discrepancies. This allows the main record holder to focus on playing the game.
- If a bench staff member is called upon to attend to an injured player, that player will be removed from the game unless a time-out is called.
- Players who are bleeding or have blood on their uniforms will be allowed to remain in the game if they can resolve the issue within 20 seconds.
- It's okay to touch the net as long as it doesn't affect the attempt at goal.
- If the ball is not given to the referee after the whistle, the referee may issue a warning to the team for a delay of play. Violations may also result in technical issues for your team.
- Players cannot receive help from people outside the boundaries to stay within the boundaries.
Additional changes can be found on the NFHS website. High school basketball is his third most popular sport for boys and his fourth most popular sport for girls.
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