This document provides information on rules changes, points of emphasis, and reminders for the 2015-16 NFHS basketball season. Some key rule changes include allowing one commemorative jersey patch, requiring sleeves/tights/headbands/wristbands to all be the same color, and clarifying illegal contact rules in the post. Points of emphasis are on cleaning up post play, reducing illegal contact during rebounding, and protecting the free throw shooter. Reminders include correctable errors and clarifying team control status during a throw-in.

1. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
NFHS Basketball
2015-16
Rules Changes
Major Editorial Changes
Points of Emphasis

2. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
NFHS Basketball
2015-16
Rules Changes

3. NCHSAA Mission
Statement
Inspiring individuals, encouraging excellence through
education based athletics.
The mission of the NCHSAA is to provide governance
and leadership for interscholastic athletic programs
that support and enrich the educational experience of
students
Core values and beliefs are shared among the
stakeholders of an organization. Values drive an
organization's culture and priorities and provide a
framework in which decisions are made. The core
values and beliefs are the principles that guide the
association.

4. Core Values & Beliefs
▪ Sportsmanship - following the rules of the game, respecting the judgment
of referees and officials, treating opponents with respect, respect for one's
opponent and graciousness in winning or losing
▪ Integrity - consistency of actions, values, methods measures, principles,
expectations and outcomes - the truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions
▪ Fair Play - a shared interpretation of the rules, the equal treatment of all
concerned, sticking to the agreed rules, not using unfair advantages
▪ Honesty - uprightness and fairness, truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness,
freedom from deceit or fraud. To consistently seek and speak the truth
▪ Respect - a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity and
specific actions and conduct representative of the esteem
▪ Equity - fairness, just and right, equitable treatment of all, dealing fairly and
equally with all concerned
▪ Fair Competition - competitors within a competition should have similar
performance potential and performance strength
▪ Development of student-athletes - participation in athletics should aid in
the physiological and psychological development of the student-athlete

5. Why We Officiate
Purpose Statement
▪Provide the leadership necessary so that
officials can consistently and effectively enforce
the rules, that will make all contests FAIR,
SAFE, and FUN:
▪Thus providing the best opportunity for
students to learn life lessons through sport

6. Simple Math
The Alphabet has value:
A = 1; B = 2; C = 3…Z = 26
LAZY 64%
SUCCESS 89%
CONFIDENCE 90%
EXCUSES 96%
LEADERSHIP 97%
HARD WORK 98%
ATTITUDE 100%

7. Leadership Thought
Develop your character
▪When you are green, you will grow…but
when you are ripe, you will rot!
▪With character you become more consistent
and stable
▪The more consistent and stable you are, the
more people will trust you, and with trust, you
become a person worth following.
Matt Burk
▪If you want to go fast, go alone…if you
want to go far, go together!

8. Leadership Thought
▪ You are paid for a career, you are made for a
calling
▪ The greatest legacy you can have is making
an impact upon other peoples’ lives
▪ M A D – Make A Difference!
▪ Average is as close to the bottom
as it is to the top!
▪ “Strive for Perfection…Accept
Excellence!”

9. The Following Acts Constitute a Foul
(10-6-12)
The following acts constitute a foul
when committed against a ball
handler/dribbler. A player becomes
a ball handler when he/she
receives the ball. This would
include a player in a post position.

10. The Following Acts Constitute a Foul
(10-6-12)
▪ The current rule covers the ball
handler/dribbler situations but
ignores the action that goes on in
the post area with the hands, arm
bars, etc. The additional language
will clarify that these illegal acts
should be ruled for every position
on the floor.

11. The Following Acts Constitute a Foul
(10-6-12)
▪ Placing two hands on the player.
▪ Placing an extended arm bar on the
player.
▪ Placing and keeping a hand on the
player.
▪ Contacting the player more than
once with the same hand or
alternating hands.

12. A player becomes a ball handler/dribbler when
he/she receives the ball. This would include a
player in a post position.
CONTACT
RULE 10-6-12

13. The following acts constitute a foul when committed
against a ball handler/dribbler, post player: two hands on,
extended arm bar on, keeping a hand on and contacting
more than once.
CONTACT
RULE 10-6-12

14. New Signal
▪ Created a signal to be used after a basket is
made and there is a stoppage in play. The
signal is used by the trail official to indicate
the team inbounding the ball may move along
the end line.
▪ The signal will be executed by extending the
arm laterally, bending the elbow at a 90-
degree angle, moving the hand and forearm
from the elbow in a waving motion
horizontally along the end line. The new
signal has been added to the signal chart.

15. New Signal
▪ Currently there is no signal to
indicate when a player may move
along the end line after a made
basket and there is a stoppage in
play. (ie: timeout, injury).

16. NEW SIGNAL
The new signal is to be used by the administering
official to communicate that the team inbounding the
ball has the ability, if they choose, to move along the
end line.

17. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
NFHS Basketball
2015-16
Major Editorial Changes

18. Commemorative/Memorial Patch
(3-4-2c)
▪ By state association adoption, one
commemorative/memorial patch
may be worn on the jersey. The
patch shall not exceed 4 square
inches, shall not be a number and
must be located above the neckline
or in the side insert.

19. UNIFORMS
RULE 3-4-2c
By state association adoption, one
commemorative/memorial patch, not to exceed four square
inches, may be worn on the jersey. The patch shall not be a
number and must be located above the neckline or in the
side insert.

20. Sleeves/Tights Same Color
(3-5-3c; 3-5-4a)
All sleeves/tights shall be the same
solid color and must be the same color
as any headband or wristband worn.

21. Sleeves/Tights Same Color
(3-5-3c; 3-5-4a)
Headbands and wristbands shall be black,
white, beige or the predominant color of the
jersey and the same color for each item and
all participants. They must be the same color
as any sleeve/tights worn. See 3-6 for logo
requirements.

22. EQUIPMENT AND APPAREL
RULE 3-5-3, 3-5-4
Team members wearing any combination of headbands, wristbands
and sleeves/tights must all wear the same single color. In PlayPic A ,
the items worn are legal. They all are the same single color. In PlayPic
B, 55 does not match 22 or 32. Only one color can be worn. Team
members should not be allowed to enter the game until items are
removed or changed to the appropriate color.

23. The sleeves/tights, headbands and wristbands
shall be black, white, beige or the predominant
color of the jersey.
EQUIPMENT AND
APPAREL
RULE 3-5-3, 3-5-4

24. NFHS Uniform Pilot program
• 130 total violations
• 260 free throws awarded
• 126 free throws made
• 45% of violations January – March
• NFHS has granted NC to continue this program
for 2015-16.
• Original 2nd year proposal a direct technical foul
January evaluation on # of violations before implementation

25. NFHS Pilot Program
• Head coach is responsible for legality of
equipment.
• NEW RULE for North Carolina:
– Teams not in compliance:
• Administrative technical foul assessed to head coach
• 2 free-throws for opponent
• Ball at division line for opponent
• Team foul assessed to offending team
• Player cannot participate until illegal equipment issue is
corrected

26. Jersey/t-shirt
• No rule change
• T-shirt must be same color of predominant
color of jersey
• Blue jersey = blue t-shirt
• Sleeves/tights/knee
pads/wristbands/headbands
– White/Black/Beige OR predominant color of
jersey
–All the same

27. Pilot Program – Officials’
Responsibility
• Email Mark Dreibelbis at mark@nchsaa.org
• Note offending team
• Note uniform adornment violation(s)
• Note the # of free throws attempted and # of free
throws made
• THIS IS IMPORTANT!
• Failure of the crew to enforce or report will result in
a 2-week suspension of the entire crew.
• “To fix it, you have to face it!” By being consistent
we will fix this problem quickly.

28. JERSEYS

29. Shorts/exposed drawstrings
• Shorts must be worn as intended by the
manufacturers
• Drawstrings cannot be exposed
• Will be treated same as shirttail…one warning
to correct
– Second offense – player will be relegated to bench
– To be legal, may turn waistband down but
drawstrings must be internal, not external and
exposed

30. NO DRAWSTRING EXPOSED

31. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
NFHS Basketball
2015-16
Points of Emphasis

32. POST PLAY
▪ New information has been added to the
Rule Book that addresses cleaning up
post play.
▪ It is legal for offensive and defensive
players to touch when both are
maintaining a legally established
position.

33. POST PLAY
Illegal contact on a post player is any
tactic using hands or arms or just
generally demonstrates rough physical
movements that allows a player on
offense or defense to control the
movement of an opposing player.

34. POST PLAY
It is a foul and should be ruled as such
when:
▪An opponent is displaced from a legally
established or obtained position;
▪An arm-bar is extended and displaces an
opponent;
▪A locked and/or extended elbow
displaces an opponent;

35. POST PLAY
▪ A leg or knee is used in the rear of an
opponent to hold or displace;
▪ Holding, hooking, slapping, pinning or
pushing the leg or body of an opponent;
▪ An offensive post player “backs-down”
and displaces the defender once that
defender has established a legal
guarding position.

36. POST PLAY
Illegal contact on post players include extended arm bars,
elbows, use of leg or knee and backing down into or through
an established position to displace an opponent from a
legally obtained position should be ruled a foul.

37. REBOUNDING
▪ One of the leading causes of injury in
high school basketball continues to be
the result of illegal contact that takes
place during rebounding. Any activity to
illegally gain rebounding position on an
opponent must be properly enforced
and penalized.

38. REBOUNDING
Some examples of illegal rebounding
activity are:
▪ Displacing, charging or pushing an
opponent;
▪ Extending the arms or elbows to impede
the movement of an opponent;
▪ Using the hips or knees to hinder or
impede an opponent;

39. REBOUNDING
▪ Violation of the principle of verticality;
▪ Contact between players in free-throw lane
spaces prior to the ball being released by the
free thrower.

40. REBOUNDING
▪ Rebounders include each player
involved in the act, whether an offensive
or defensive player.
▪ It is a coach’s responsibility to teach
players the proper rule-based
techniques of legal rebounding.

41. REBOUNDING
Illegal tactics relating to rebounding is a concern
and continues to be among the leading causes of
injury. Rough play may lead to injuries and
bruised egos.

42. FREE-THROW SHOOTER
▪ Rule 9-1-3g was revised in 2014-15 to allow a
player occupying a marked lane space to
enter the lane on the release of the ball by the
free thrower. As a result of this change,
protection of the free thrower needs to be
emphasized. On release of the ball by the
free thrower, the defender boxing out shall
not touch or cross the free-throw line
extended into the semicircle until the ball
contacts the ring or backboard.

43. FREE-THROW SHOOTER
▪ A player, other than the free thrower, who
does not occupy a marked lane space, may
not have either foot beyond the vertical plane
of the free-throw line extended and the three-
point line which is farther from the basket until
the ball touches the ring or backboard or until
the free throw ends.
▪ Only the free thrower is allowed in the semi-
circle until the ball is released and touches
the ring or the backboard.

44. PROTECTING THE
FREE-THROW SHOOTER
The free-throw shooter is the only player allowed in the
semicircle prior to the ball contacting the ring or backboard.
Players outside marked lane spaces, including the free-
throw shooter, cannot enter the lane spaces until the ball
contacts the ring or backboard.

45. The new and improved Basketball Officials Manual
now has five sections:
1. Officiating Philosophy, 2. Terminology, 3. Signals
with Descriptions, 4. Two-Person, 5. Three-Person.
OFFICIALS MANUAL

46. NFHS SIGNALS AND MECHANICS
▪ With the revision of the 2015-17
NFHS Basketball Officials Manual,
officials are reminded that when
officiating a high school basketball
game, the proper NFHS signals
and NFHS mechanics are to be
used.

47. Officials are encouraged to effectively communicate with
one another as well as with players and coaches throughout
the game by using mechanics and signals specific to NFHS.
An explanation of the use of each signal and its execution
can be found in the newly revised NFHS Officials Manual.
NFHS MECHANICS
AND SIGNALS

48. The NFHS prescribed signals are in place to
communicate to the table officials and to officials
on the floor.
NFHS SIGNALS

49. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
RULES REMINDERS

50. CORRECTABLE ERRORS
Officials may correct an error if a rule is
inadvertently set aside and results in:
• Failure to award a merited free throw.
• Awarding an unmerited free throw.
• Permitting a wrong player to attempt a free
throw.
• Attempting a free throw at the wrong
basket.
• Erroneously counting or cancelling a score.

51. © REFEREE ENTERPISES INC. 2012
Correctable Errors
Five errors are recognized in the rules book. Officials are
granted the power within a certain window of time to make
these corrections.

52. Team Control Status During Throw-in;
Team Control Status Inbounds
▪ Since a 2011-12 rule change, team control
exists during a throw-in when the thrower has
the ball at her/his disposal.
▪ The change was made ONLY to eliminate the
penalty of administering free throw(s) when a
teammate of the thrower commits a common
foul during the throw-in.

53. Team Conrol Status Inbounds
▪ The change made the penalty
consistent with the penalty for other
team control fouls.
▪ The penalty now is the awarding of a
throw-in to the opposing team at the
spot out-of-bounds nearest to where the
foul occurred.

54. Team Control Status During Throw-in;
Team Control Status Inbounds
NOTE:
▪ Team control during a throw-in is not intended
to be equated to player control status
inbounds which creates team control status
inbounds.
▪ During the throw-in, 10-seconds, 3-seconds,
frontcourt status, backcourt status, closely
guarded, etc. are not factors as there has yet
to be player control/team control status
obtained inbounds.

55. A team control foul is committed in A and B. The
ball will be given to the opponent for a throw-in
near the spot of the foul.
TEAM CONTROL
RULE 4-12-2d

56. TEAM CONTROL
RULE 4-12-2d
A foul is ruled on the offensive player and the
opponent puts the ball in play with a throw-in near
the spot of the foul.

57. Announcer Responsibilities
▪ Several points were emphasized last year
about the announcer and what he/she should
say during the game.
▪ The announcer shall not make
announcements while the clock is running
and while the clock is stopped and the ball is
live, as during a free throw, a throw-in, etc.
▪ In high school athletics, the announcer’s role
does not include “cheering the home team
on” or otherwise inciting the crowd.

58. Announcer
▪ The announcer can inadvertently
influence the atmosphere of the contest
by what is said and how it is said.
▪ The announcer who performs
professionally promotes good
sportsmanship by what he/she says and
how he/she acts upon saying it.

59. A headband is any item that goes around the entire
head. If worn, only one is permitted, it must be worn on
the forehead/crown, it must be nonabrasive and
unadorned, and it must be a maximum of two inches.
In PlayPic A legal and in PlayPic B illegal.
Equipment and Apparel
RULE 3-5-4b

60. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
NFHS NEWS ITEMS

61. 2015-16 NFHS Basketball Rules
and Case Books as E-Books
▪ Electronic Versions of the NFHS Basketball
Rules and Case Books are now available for
purchase as e-books.
▪ Apple users can visit iTunes for available
books.
▪ Apple, Android and Kindle users can buy e-
books from Amazon.com and view them
through the Kindle app.
▪ Price: $5.99 each
▪ Visit www.nfhs.org/ebooks
for more information.

62. Take Part. Get Set For Life.™
National Federation of State
High School Associations
www.nfhs.org
Thank You for your support of
High School Athletics!

63. 2015-2016
Basketball
NCHSAA
Regulations

64. Basketball Approved
Board Items
✦ Escorts for officials should be provided by schools in all
sports
✦ Regional Basketball Tournament Format Change
✦ Regional Semifinal (4th Round) games will be held at the
home of the higher seed
✦ Provided the host meets certain hosting requirements
(TBD by NCHSAA)
✦ Regional Finals will be held at Neutral Locations (TBA)
✦ Protests committees
✦ 3 Person Minimum
✦ Only administrators and coaches may serve on protest
committee

65. Basketball Approved
Board Items
✦ Time Warner Cable
✦ Will televise 12 regular season games during
the 2015-16 season
✦ If you have a game you would like to nominate
for broadcast, please email Tra as soon as
possible

66. Important Dates
1st Day of Practice November 2nd
1st Day of Practice (non-football) October 19th
1st Play Date November 16th
1st Play Date (non-football) November 2nd
Conference Tournaments February 15-19
Seeding February 20th
1st Round February 22nd
2nd Round February 24th
3rd Round February 26th
4th Round March 1st
Regional Finals March 5th
State Championship March 12th

67. Number of Contests
✦ Season
✦ 23 Games
✦ 24 Games if one is designated as an Endowment
Game
✦ Weekly
✦ 3 game per week
✦ During 2 weeks of the season, a 4th game may be
played during the week provided it is on a non-
school day
✦ Daily
✦ 1 game per day

68. State Championships
✧ March 12, 2016
✧ Sites
✧ Dean E. Smith Center, UNC-Chapel Hill
✧ Carmichael Arena, UNC-Chapel Hill
✧ Times
✧ 12:00 Noon – 1A, 2A Women
✧ 2:30 PM – 1A, 2A Men
✧ 5:00 PM – 3A, 4A Women
✧ 7:30 PM – 3A, 4A Men

69. MaxPreps
✦ Official Statistics Provider
• Records and standings for post-season
qualifications
○ 2015-16: MaxPreps Record = Official Record
○ Incorrect record subject to DQ from playoffs
• All game results MUST be entered by Friday,
February 19th at 11:59 p.m.
○ Triple check your record!
• Instructions can be found on the NCHSAA website

70. Ejection Policy
✦ Fighting
✦ Leaving the bench area
✦ Flagrant contact
✦ Biting
✦ Taunting, baiting or spitting toward an opponent or
official
✦ Profanity
✦ Obscene gestures
✦ Disrespectfully addressing an official

71. Dead Periods

72. Eligibility &
Compliance

73. Eligibility
PowerPoint
✦Required viewing for all coaches
✦Should be done with the athletic director
✦Includes opportunities to discuss
concussions/sudden cardiac arrests/sickle
cell, etc.

74. Eligibility
Preseason Meeting
✦Required attendance by all parents
✦Time to share rules, regulations, expectations,
philosophy etc.
✦Time to get all required signatures--pledges,
Gfeller-Waller information, etc.
✦NEW FORM – Eligibility and Authorization

75. NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Course
✦All coaches must have satisfied the requirement
to take this course
✦Complete prior to first contest; subject to a $500
fine; continuing to coach without completion =
suspension
Coaches’ Education

76. Coaches’ Education
Concussion Management Certification
✦The NFHS Concussion Course (free on-line
course) or an equivalent course must be
completed annually by all coaches
✦Prior to the first date of practice for that
sport; subsequently, the certificate of
completion must be on file at the individual
school; subject to $500 fine

77. Gfeller-Waller Concussion Law
Requirements of the Law:
✦Concussion signs and symptoms
• Given prior to participation
• Parents/athletes sign indicating “receipt of” Return
to Play (RTP) form signed by a physician licensed
to practice medicine
• An up-to-date Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
Must be on-file
Must be posted
Must be updated annually
✦“When in doubt, sit them out”

78. Cardiac Safety Program
All NCHSAA member schools must have a Cardiac
Safety Program to include three (3) components:
✦Appropriate number of AEDs on Campus
✦AED maintenance program (battery checks,
maintain, replacement at appropriate intervals)
✦Required viewing of short AED/CPR video for all
supervising adults (teachers, coaches, administrators)

79. New Safety Policy
Effective Aug 1, 2017
That all head and paid coaches must be
CPR/AED certified.

80. Anyone Can Save A Life
✦ Distributed to Athletic Director on Tuesday
✦ Guide for preparing your building and training
your staff to handle life-threatening
emergencies
✦ Simple life threatening emergency protocol
• 911, Early CPR, Early AED Use, Early
Transition to EMS
• Student Response Team
○ Coaches, Administrators and Officials are most likely
to have an episode

81. Coaches’ Education
Accredited Interscholastic Coach
(AIC)
✦Requires completion of 4 courses:
• Fundamentals of Coaching
• 1st Aid, Health & Safety for Coaches
• Sport Specific Course or Teaching Sports Skills
• Concussion in Sports (Free)

82. Certified Interscholastic Coach (CIC)
✦Completion of AIC requirements
✦Plus:
• Teaching & Modeling Behavior
• Engaging Effectively with Parents
• Sportsmanship
• Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment
• Strength & Conditioning
• 2 additional courses (User Choice)
Coaches’ Education

83. Sportsmanship
✦ Teaching & Modeling Behavior Course
• Required for any coach ejected during a
contest
• Required for any coach who has player (s)
ejected for fighting
✦ NFHS Sportsmanship Course
• For any ejected/disqualified player
• Free, on-line course (nfhslearn.com)
✦ All certificates must be sent to NCHSAA

84. Realignment (2017-2021)
✦ 20-30-30-20 Model
✦ Process will begin Oct 2015
✦ NCHSAA will study playoff qualifications,
brackets, etc. to present to the Board of
Directors