New Rules: Oklahoma High School Basketball

- Mario Holland

Beginning the upcoming 2023-2024 basketball season, Oklahoma high schools will adjust to the recent rules changes from the National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee, which were adopted by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA). Earlier this year, The NFHS amended the free throw and foul procedures for high school basketball. Once a team's opponent has reached five fouls in a quarter (of play), then they will receive a bonus and attempt two free throws. Team fouls will reset at the end of each quarter. Before the rule change, teams would receive a bonus (1-1 free throw) when the opponent committed its seventh foul in a half and would receive a double bonus (two free throws) when the opponent reached its 10th foul in a half of [basketball] play.

The NFHS rules committee studied data and believed this rule change would reduce player injury rates in rebounding situations, and would reduce rough play during rebounding opportunities as well. Additionally, the NFHS believed resetting the fouls after each quarter would improve the flow of the game and allow teams to adjust their level of play by avoiding carrying their foul totals to the final quarters of play during each half.

Inbound (throw-in) procedure rules were also changed by the NFHS. When the offense is in control of the ball on the offensive side of the court and the defense commits a violation, a common foul prior to a bonus, or the ball becomes dead, then the inbound play (by the offense) will be at one of the four designated spots (on the floor) by where the infraction occurred. The designated areas are: by the 28-foot mark along each sideline or the nearest spot three feet outside the lane line on the baseline. There is an exception to the amended rule whenever the defensive team causes the ball to go out of bounds. When this occurs, the inbound (throw-in) spot will be where the ball traveled out of bounds.

The rules committee also amended the rule for game officials administering a throw-in to the wrong team. Now, the error can be corrected "before the first dead ball after the ball becomes live unless there has been a change in possession" (NFHS).

Other rules approved by the NFHS were:

Rule 2-1-3: official placement of the shot clock operator (for states utilizing the shot clock), which the OSSAA has not adopted.

Rule 3-4-5: addresses multiple styles of uniform bottoms that can be worn, and they must be similar in color and adhere to the uniform rules outlined in Rule 3-6-2.

Rule 3-5-6: players must wear a single solid color or solid black shirt for visiting teams in dark jerseys.

Rule 9-3-3: allows a player to step out of bounds and return to the court of play if that player gains no advantage by stepping out of bounds. The player (who steps out of bounds) will be penalized only if they are the first player to touch the ball after returning inbounds or to avoid a violation.

The rule changes will apply to both junior high and high school basketball across Oklahoma schools this season. Unfortunately, earlier this year, the OSSAA rejected (in a slim 8-7 vote) the adoption of a 35-second shot clock for classes 3A through 6A beginning the 2024-2025 basketball season. Nine state associations added the shot clock for the 2022-2023 basketball season and Connecticut, Idaho, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Oregon, will have a shot clock for their high school basketball games for the 2023-2024 season. Currently, 27 state high school associations utilize a shot clock in some capacity. Should the OSSAA adopt the shot clock for Oklahoma high school basketball? Remember the high school boys' basketball game between Anadarko and Weatherford back in February (2023)? Well to jog your memory, Weatherford won the game by a final score of 4-2. You've read the right! The game received national attention and rekindled the shot clock debate, again, in Oklahoma. How long will something like this continue to happen in Oklahoma high school basketball? The debate continues...