Trending
The PIAA decided on some rule changes at its latest meeting Wednesday in State College, and the impact on high school and junior high basketball will be immediate.
One-and-one foul-shot opportunities are now a thing of the past.
The PIAA adopted the National Federation of High Schools' rule change that all common fouls after a team has reached the bonus will mean two free throw attempts, regardless of the result of the first attempt.
Teams will reach the bonus once they commit five fouls in a quarter, and team fouls will be reset after each quarter.
NFHS Director of Sports Lindsey Atkinson said the rule change was made in part due to data that injury rates on rebounding situations were high and this could "reduce opportunities for rough play during rebounds."
The rule change will make it tougher for teams to rally from deficits. Recently retired Tyrone Area boys basketball coach George Gripp will likely shake his head at the change. Gripp's team led Huntingdon by nine with less than four minutes to play in the 2020 District 6 Class 4A championship game before missing the front end of several one-and-one opportunities that came back to haunt them in the final seconds as the Bearcats rallied to win the title.
The NFHS also recommends a shot clock for high school basketball, but the PIAA has chosen not to adopt that rule change.
Without the shot clock, this change could result in even more holding of the ball. Teams won't be afraid to hold it up 10 to start the fourth quarter, because knowing most kids will at least make one of their two shots, barring a turnover, the team with the lead can bank on points each possession.
Additionally, having the team fouls reset after one quarter lessens the penalty the fouling team must endure. If a team picked up six fouls in the first four minutes of the first quarter last season, any foul the rest of the half meant at least a free throw attempt. Now, in that scenario, that team will just have to survive four minutes.
Competition formula
In addition to the basketball rule change that takes place this season, another rule was passed starting in the 2024-2025 school year.
The competition formula, or success formula, that had been in place for high school football and basketball will now stretch into all team sports other than golf.
A reminder, though, the transfer part of the rule that's removal was discussed at one time, is still in place and will remain in place. So, if Williamsburg wins two state championships in girls basketball with no transfers in the same cycle, it will not move up in classification.
The transfers needed for each sport are as follows -- football (three), baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, wrestling, soccer and volleyball (two) and tennis and basketball (one).
Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic is currently playing up one classification in both football and boys basketball due to the competition formula.
Soccer co-op
One more local item to note coming out of the summer meeting -- Williamsburg had a co-op in high school boys soccer with Huntingdon approved.
This means boys from Williamsburg will be heading to Juniata Valley for football and Huntingdon for soccer in the fall. Andrew McMonagle, a Williamsburg student, currently wrestles in the winter for Huntingdon.
Michael Boytim can be reached at mboytim@altoonamirror.com or 814-946-7521