- All fouls (including offensive) count towards team foul count. No free throws up to 6 team fouls. On 6 team fouls, free throws are based on shot taken or 1 and 1, including and-1s. On 9 team fouls, free throws are based on shot taken or 2 shots for any other foul. Technical fouls result in 2FTs and the team with possession will keep possession.
- Shooting foul vs non-shooting foul — once the ball has been gathered any foul that occurs after that gather which is then followed by a shooting motion is a shooting foul even if the foul occurred on the ground (example). If the foul occurs before the gather it is a non shooting foul (e.g., example). If a player pump fakes and gets the defender up in the air and moving towards the offensive player the offensive player can move into that person and draw a shooting foul. Exception is if the defender jumped straight up or backwards on a pump fake, in which case if the offensive player moved into the defender it would not be a foul. More examples of what a shooting foul is vs non-shooting foul can be found here: additional examples.
- Hop/jump-steps/stops — you cannot hop off a foot and then land on that same foot (e.g., hop step travel explained). Key here is you must land on the other foot from which you jumped/hopped off of. You can do a hop/jump stop followed by a pivot if you do the hop/jump immediately after the gather and land on both feet simultaneously. If you do not, then you cannot pivot and must go up with it after the stop. (e.g., legal hop stop and pivot)
- There is an emphasis on illegal screens this year. Feet must be set and you cannot move/lean into defender on the screen and you cannot roll through them immediately after setting. You can familiarize yourself with what is illegal here: examples of illegal screens.
- Top of hand is considered part of ball when in contact with the ball. If someone hits your hand it is considered incidental contact. If someone hits your hand and ball goes out, it is considered out on the person who hit your hand because the hand is part of the ball but there is no foul. The obvious exception to the hand rule is on a shot you cannot make contact with the palm or inside/bottom of hand until the ball has left the hand. You can however make contact with the hand on the follow through once ball has left the hand. Example: explanation of hand being part of the ball.
- When contesting around the basket, hands must be straight in the air upon contact (e.g., arms not vertical). Even if the hands are up, when contesting you must jump vertical or backwards (e.g., legally contesting vertically), and cannot jump into an offensive player as that would still be a foul even if the hands are vertical (e.g., illegally contesting)).
- Block vs. Charge — In order to be a charge you must be in legal guarding position. That means your body has beat them to a spot. If you do not beat them to the spot, even if the offensive player initiates contact it is still a foul. Examples of blocking fouls: blocking foul example. Examples of legal defense resulting in charges: legal guarding position resulting in charges.
- Post Defense — Please note legal vs illegal ways to defend the post. You can use the forearm/hand with bent elbow when defender has back to you. But you can use this to maintain your position. You cannot use it to push defender off their position which would be a foul. You can box out with body but no forearms or hands.
- Backcourt violations are 8 seconds at any point in the game. A ball being dribbled is (1) in the frontcourt when the ball and BOTH feet of the player are in the frontcourt, (2) in the backcourt if the ball or EITHER foot of the player is in the backcourt. Once a player has established a front court status, if the ball bounces in the backcourt no player from the offense can touch the ball first. It is a backcourt violation if the ball or the foot touches on or past halfcourt line after a team has established frontcourt status. Also, a tipped rebound can be retrieved in the backcourt as no control of possession was established. A more detailed breakdown can be found here and here.
- Backboard — The front, top, sides, and bottom of the backboard are all in play. The back of a backboard is out of bounds as well as the supporting structures. Unless you are shooting from directly behind the backboard, the ball is still considered in-bounds.
- Inbounding
- On a throw-in which goes out of bounds and is not touched by a player in the game, the ball is returned to the original throw-in spot.
- You can run the baseline or pass to a teammate behind the baseline (does not restart 5 sec) after a score (FG, FT, etc.)
- You can throw from frontcourt to backcourt on all inbounds.