The local basketball season got off last weekend with a full programme from all the various senior categories. The vast majority of the teams displayed expected but positive enthusiasm and if they continue with this trend, it all augurs well for the rest of the season.

A fact that repeated itself quite a number of times in the past weekend were certain queries from a number of sectors regarding the new rules which came into effect as from the start of this month.

Today, after last weekend’s queries, I will try to explain these changes into greater detail and in a way that everybody may understand.

Firstly, I believe that it would be beneficial if I had to remind all and sundry that it was the FIBA Central Board, the highest executive body of the International Basketball Federation, that decided to make slight amendments to the official FIBA Basketball rules.

The following rules amendments have been adopted:

1. If the request for a time-out or a substitution is made before the ball is at the disposal of a player for a throw-in following the free throw (s), the time out or the substitution shall be granted for both teams if the last or only free throw is successful.

2. If a free throw(s) is followed by a throw-in at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table, the time-out or the substitution shall be granted after the last free throw for both teams whether the last free throw is successful or not.

3. During the last two (2) minutes of the fourth (4th) period or each extra-period, if a time out is granted:

to the non-scoring team after the valid field goal,

to the team that has been awarded the possession of the ball in its back court, the throw-in, following the time-out, shall be administrated at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table. The player taking the throw-in shall be entitled to pass the ball to a team-mate at any place on the playing court.

Rule change number one basically states that as from this year both teams on the court could make a substitution and/or take a time-out after a successful free-throw shot scored by any of the two teams. This substitution/time-out opportunity for both teams (one must always remember that this only comes in to effect if the last or only free-throw was scored) ends when any player of that team which suffered the successful free-shot takes the ball into his hands behind the end line beneath his team’s own basket.

Technically, this rule amendment makes logical sense as the ball becomes ‘dead’ after the free-shot has been scored. In other dead ball situations during the game, both teams could substitute or call a time-out and so now there is no difference even after a scored free-throw.

Rule change number two only comes into effect in situations when any un-sportsmanlike, technical or disqualifying foul is called. As most enthusiasts might know, in such cases the penalty consists of free-throws followed by possession at mid-court facing the scorers’ table.

In these instances, the rules have been changed so that both teams can make a substitution and/or call a time-out between the free-throws and the subsequent possession at mid-court. Before this was not possible as the penalty (free-throws plus possession) was regarded as one action but now this penalty is being regarded in two distinct parts.

Note also that in these cases, the last or only free-throw does not have to be scored for any team to substitute or calla time-out. Thus, even if the last free-throw is missed, since the game will resume with possession at mid-court, both teams can substitute players or call a time-out.

The last rule change comes into effect only the last two minutes of a game (or last 2 minutes of any extra period). If the team, at the time of requesting a time-out, is entitled to start the game in its back-court, then after the time-out is granted (i.e. one minute of stoppage), this same team will now be entitled to start the game at mid-court opposite the scorers’ table, thereby gaining a few metres (a maximum of 14 metres) and possibly a few seconds which might result influential in close games. Knowledgeable and cunning coaches may gain from this change.

Before concluding I would like to stress also the new criteria which have been adopted by FIBA as regards the act of shooting policy.

The rules state that a player will be entitled to free-throws if he is in the act of shooting. The latter has been defined quite clearly this year by FIBA whereby if a player has grabbed the ball and started the act of shooting, then any foul will result in free-throws.

Most of the time there is no problem as regards a jump shot. Yet grumbling may start after a foul on some penetration. To make it clear to coaches, if a player has started a lay-up move and made his last dribble (or started a one-two move off a pass) and grabbed the ball, the any foul as from this instant will result in two free-throws or even a validated basket and an additional free-shot.

[email protected]