Elk Grove High School
Lady Herd Basketball

Elk Grove, California

Rule revisions for 2008-09 are minor, but one rule change will be noticeable to those watching the game. All players will move up one lane space during a free-throw attempt. The two marked lane spaces closest to the basket will remain vacant. This change is intended to reduce the rough play in free throw situationss and may provide the defense a rebounding advantage. (Rule 8-1-4)

One of the most miscalled violations is the kicked ball. Rule 4-29 states that "kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot." (emphasis added) The key words in this rule is "intentionally striking." If the ball accidentally strikes the foot or leg of a player, and the player made no move to strike the ball, this is not a violation.

Once the basketball is inbounded into the back court, nornally a team has only 10 seconds to get the ball into the front court. However, in California, for girls basketball, there is no 10-second time limit to advance the ball to the front court.

In order for the ball to be in the front court, three items must be out of the backcourt, i.e. the left foot and right foot of the player with the ball and the basketball. Therefore if the player is straddling the division line and pivots into the back court, that is okay. If player straddles the division line and passes to the back court, that is also okay. If the player straddles the division line and pivots into the front and then places a foot into the back court, that is a back court violation.

If team control is established in the front court and the basketball goes into the back court, that is a violation and the basketball is awarded to the opposing team.

If the basketball is inbounded in the front court, the basketball can be thrown into the backcourt without violation.

If a player in the front court inbounds the ball to a team mate in the front court and the ball goes off her hand and into the backcourt, she (or any of her team mates) may go and get the ball without penalty.

Same play as above, except she throws to a team mate who jumps from the front court, catches the ball in the air and lands in the back court, that is a violation.

If a defensive player jumps from her team's front court and intercepts a pass from the offense and lands in the back court, this is okay.

Many times those watching a basketball game get upset when the referees don't call a three second free-throw lane violation. The lack of a call isn't necessarily because the referees missed something, but because of a misunderstanding of the rule by the audience. The three-second rule is in the National Federations of State High School Association's Basketball Rules Book. In part, Rule 9-3-7 states:

"A player shall not remain for three seconds in … his/her free-throw lane … while the ball is in control of his/her team in his/her frontcourt. Allowance shall be made for a player who, having been in the restricted area for less than three seconds, dribbles in or move to try for goal." (emphasis added)

Note that the three second rule applies only "while the ball is in control" of the team on offense.

Rule 4-12-3a provides that "... team control continues until the ball is in flight after a try or tap for a goal."

This means that the three second count stops when the ball is shot. The three second count starts over when control of the ball is regained, i.e., when the ball is rebounded. If there are multiple shots and rebounds by the team on offense, the three-second count stops each time the ball is shot. In this situation, players can remain in the free-throw lane for several seconds without causing a three second violation.