MIKE BROWN: HOF coach Randy Montgomery likes new free-throw rules
Big changes are coming when Ohio high school basketball players step to the free throw line next season.
The National Federation of State High School Associations has announced rule changes for the 2023-2024 campaign.
No more one-and-one bonus
Starting next winter, the one-and-one bonus will no longer be used. Instead, players will shoot two free throws when an opposing team reaches the bonus situation, which has also been changed. Previously, when a team reached seven fouls in a half, players shot a one-and-one. The new rule will be two free throws when a foul is committed by an opposing team that has reached five fouls in a single quarter.
OHSAA using national rules
When contacted, OHSAA media director Tim Stried acknowledged the OHSAA will use the new free-rules enacted by the National Federation for all of its member schools, starting next winter.
Randy Montgomery, the Ohio High School Hall of Fame basketball coach and graduate and former player at Youngstown State, offered his views on the change. And who would know better than Montgomery, who won 600 games during his illustrious coaching career at Triway (including two trips to state), North Canton Hoover and West Branch.
“Eliminating the one-and-one in favor of two shots is primarily to help with rough play in rebounding,” said Montgomery, who played for legendary coach John Cabas at Salem during his prep playing days. “In my opinion, it is a good idea to reset the foul total each quarter to five before the double bonus,” he added.
Montgomery also likes the changes for another reason, while comparing the old free-throw rules to the new ones.
“A team may commit two or three early fouls and is in a difficult situation the remainder of the half, as opposed to just the quarter (in the new format where fouls reset after each eight-minute period),” he said. “It could have a positive effect on ‘rough play’ in rebounding as well. However, in my experience, rough play can be controlled by good judgment officiating.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Get the latest Mahoning Valley news in your email inbox weekday mornings. Sign up here for our free daily newsletter.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here’s how you can support Mahoning Matters.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Mahoning Matters on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.