Announcement
2008-09 NFHS Basketball Rules Changes
3-5-3Any item that goes around the entire head (elastic strips/bands, pre-wrap, headbands, etc.) shall meet the rule requirements regarding color, maximum size, logo restrictions and team uniformity. Black and beige have also been added to the colors a team is permitted to wear.
Rationale: This change makes the rule more consistent in application and enforcement. The additional colors will provide student-athletes with the same low-cost options, while maintaining team uniformity.
8-1-4b, c, dDuring a free throw, all players will move up one marked lane space, leaving the two spaces closest to the end line vacant. A new mark (2 inches by 8 inches) must be reapplied to the lane line near the free-throw line to designate the last 3-foot marked lane space.
Rationale: This rules change may reduce rough play during free-throw situations while maintaining defensive rebounding percentages within an acceptable range.
10-5-5 NEWA maximum of one technical foul shall be charged directly to the head coach when a participant wears an illegal jersey, illegal pants/skirt or an illegal number.
Rationale: This rules change reduces the penalty from one technical foul assessed to each starter and each substitute to a maximum of one technical foul assessed directly to the head coach. There has been a proliferation of illegal uniforms worn by teams within the last several years. This change reduces the penalty, but puts the responsibility for illegal uniforms where it ultimately belongs– with the head coach – not the participant.
2008-09 NFHS Basketball Editorial Changes
3-4The uniform section will be reorganized to separate the topics by articles and adjust the language to reflect current industry standards/terminology.
4-27-2A portion of the first sentence of the ‘incidental contact’ definition will be removed to clarify that a foul should be called when displacement occurs while opponents attempt to secure a loose ball.
4-42-5The article will be reorganized into sub-articles for clarity.
10-5The section will be reorganized for better understanding and clarity.
2008-09 Points of Emphasis
1. Legal Uniforms
2. Rough Play
3. Time-outs
4. Slapping the Backboard
5. Officials’ Mechanics and Signals
