Rule changes as of 1 October 2018
Traditionally the rules of basketball are reviewed and amended in Olympic year. There have been a number of changes at other times in recent years, and a brief summary of the latest changes are highlighted below.
Players should always be aware of the rules so that they can play safely and not give away unnecessary fouls, points or possession to the opposition; also they can be better prepared for re-starts.
Some of the latest changes are quite technical and may rarely, if ever, worry the majority of players or coaches.
Match officials (referees, scorers and timekeepers) will be required to know these changes!
Terminology:
To unify the terminology worldwide the game will be divided into four quarters (no longer called periods) and if the game finishes as a draw periods of overtime will be played (no longer called extra periods).
24 seconds:
When the game is stopped by an official for a foul or violation, the shot clock is re-set. The ball is then awarded to the opposition and the shot clock will be re-set to 24 seconds if the ball is to be in-bounded in the back court, and 14 seconds if it is to be in-bounded in the front court.
In effect when a team gains control of the ball in the front court they will (usually) start with 14 seconds on the shot clock.
When they gain control of the ball in the back court they will get 24 seconds (for example after a basket has been conceded) or whatever was left on the shot clock before the violation was called.
24 seconds in the last 2 minutes of the game or a period of overtime:
When the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in overtime, following a time-out taken by the team that is entitled to the possession of the ball from its backcourt, the coach of that team has the right to decide whether the subsequent throw-in shall be administered at the throw-in line opposite the scorer’s table in the team’s frontcourt or in the team’s backcourt.
If the throw-in shall be administered at the throw-in line opposite the scorer’s table in the team’sfrontcourt, the shot clock shall be reset as follows:
- If 14 seconds or more is displayed on the shot clock at the time when the game clock was
stopped, the shot clock shall be reset to 14 seconds. - If 13 seconds or less is displayed on the shot clock at the time when the game clock was
stopped, the shot clock shall not be reset, but shall continue from the time it was stopped.
If the throw-in shall be administered in the team’s backcourt, the shot clock shall be reset to new 24 seconds or continue from the time it was stopped as defined by the rules.
Technical foul:
If a technical foul is called, 1 free throw shall be awarded.
After the free throw, the game shall be resumed by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball from the point when the technical foul was called.
Double foul:
New definition is:
To consider 2 fouls as a double foul, the following conditions shall be required:
- Both fouls are player’s fouls.
- Both fouls involve physical contact.
- Both fouls are between 2 opponents fouling each other.
- Both fouls have the same penalty.
Fighting:
New rule:Irrespective of the number of team bench personnel disqualified for leaving the team bench area, a single technical foul (‘B’) shall be charged against the coach.
Any team bench personnel who, after leaving the bench area, is actively involved in a fight shall be disqualified (Disqualifying foul ‘D’).
Reason for this change:To penalize team bench members for leaving the team bench area during the fight on the court differently (whether they are actively involved in the fight or not).
Throw-in:
When the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth period and in each period of overtime, on a throw-in the defensive player shall not move any part of his body over the boundary line to interfere with the throw-in.
The official shall use a preventative signal as a warning while administering the throw-in.
A violation after the warning shall lead to a technical foul.
Throw-in after an unsportsmanlike or disqualifying foul:
New rule:All throw-ins as the part of an unsportsmanlike and disqualifying foul shall be administered from the throw-in line in the team’s frontcourt.
Reason for change:To speed up the game, to allow for more possession thus for possibly more scoring. To eliminate complex situations after a throw-in from the centre line.
Dribbling:
New definition:
A dribble is the movement of a live ball caused by a player in control of that ball who throws, taps, rolls the ball on the floor.
Deleted from the rule: “or deliberately throws it against the backboard”.
Uniforms:
Any accessories (arm, leg compression sleeves, headgear, wrist/arm bands) on the team must be of the same, one solid colour of the team.
Timing:
The ball lodging between the ring and the backboard shall be considered as the ball having touched the ring. Unless between free throws and unless a possession of the ball is part of the foul penalty, it is a jump ball situation resulting in an alternating possession throw-in.
As the ball has touched the ring, the shot clock shall be reset to 14 or new 24 seconds.
Scoresheet:
To clarify when a technical foul against a coach shall be penalised with 1 or 2 free throws, the number of free throws shall be awarded as follows:
- If the foul is a disqualification of an assistant coach, substitute, excluded player or an accompanying delegation member, including for leaving the team bench area in a fighting situation, and this foul is charged to the coach as a technical foul: 2 free throws.
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