Radical basketball changes

Press, 5 October 1984, Page 10

Radical basketball changes

Several major changes to the rules of basketball are scheduled to come into force in New Zealand next season.

The Basketball Federation is expected to accept the recommendations of the rules committee at its annual meeting in December and the new rules will bring New Zealand into line with international conditions.

The updated rules include:

• A reduction in the number of team fouls before penalty from eight to seven.

• Two free throws for a foul inside the circle instead

of three attempts for two points. ® A reduction of 30cm in the three-point circle.

0 International court sizes, with a maximum of 28m by 15m (Christchurch’s Cowles Stadium is at present too big). O The re-marking of the key way, with .3m between the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, also an extra key on the side to protect a third player. © A change in the tie ball and jump-off rules. 0 The team in control of the ball is not allowed to return the ball to its own half after it has moved into opposition territory. 4

0 A technical foul on a coach will now carry a penalty of two free throws, and the non-offending team will retain possession at the half-way mark. ® Radical changes to the 30-second possession law, which will require scoring clocks and scoreboards in New Zealand to be altered to allow for a “hold” period. '(Formerly winning teams could play out time under the rule which allowed them to retain possession for a 30-second period.) The last proposed alteration to the rules should be one of the most significant. It will mean that when a

team gains control of the ball on the court, a shot for goal must be made within 30 seconds otherwise it will be penalised. The new 30-second period, however, does not begin after a throw-in from out-of-bounds at the side-line when:

(a) The ball has gone out-of-bounds and the throw-in is taken by a player from the same team that was previously in control of the ball.

(b) The officials have suspended play to protect an injured player and the throw-in is taken by a player from the same team as t|p t injured player.

In such circumstances the 30-second operator will restart the scoring clock from the time it was stopped. The alterations to the free throw rules and a reduction in the three-point shot area were described this week by the captain of the 3ZM Canterbury men’s basketball team, Clyde Huntley, as being a paradise for accurate shooters. However, he said that now many club and league players would have to do more practice from the free-throw line “Instead of getting chances for two points, you only get two attempts, so players will have to make every one count.’®- ss r ■ *