In what one Colorado high school basketball coach identified as “a step toward the modern game” the NHFS has addressed common foul free throws and team fouls ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Now, players will receive two free throws for a common foul if that team is in the bonus. Team fouls will reset at the end of each quarter and teams will move into the bonus at the fifth team foul of the quarter.
The organization announced the change in a release on Monday. With Colorado being a 100% NHFS state, the changes will apply to high school basketball in the state next season.
“The rules committee studied data that showed higher injury rates on rebounding situations and saw this as an opportunity to reduce opportunities for rough play during rebounds,” Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee said in the release. “Additionally, resetting the fouls each quarter will improve game flow and allow teams to adjust their play by not carrying foul totals to quarters two and four.”
The change will also introduce an element of strategy for teams at the end of each quarter without concern of team fouls carrying over into either the second or fourth quarters of the game.
Several other rule tweaks were announced, but nothing that will impact play in Colorado like the free throw and team foul situation. There is also an official establishment of a position at a score table for a shot clock operator for state’s that have adopted it. Colorado has yet to do so, but it is very much on the radar of the basketball committee.
