NFHS Outlines New Basketball Rule: Fake Being Fouled Best Practices
Faking Being Fouled
Best Practices
The NFHS Basketball Rules Committee has developed the situations below to assist in the
education of officials as to how to adjudicate Faking Being Fouled warnings and technical fouls.
While the committee has done their best to illustrate the most common examples, they know
there will be situations that the committee did not capture here. Please use the following as
guidelines for adjudicating Faking Being Fouled penalties.
In the examples below, Team A is always on offense and Team B is always on defense.
1. Offensive player, A1, is dribbling the ball and fakes being fouled by a defender. This is
described in the rules as using a “head bob” to simulate illegal contact. In this play, the
team that is faking being fouled is on offense and there is player control of the ball. (4-
49-1b)
Adjudication: When does the official blow the whistle and signal for both the first and
subsequent infractions?
• As soon as the official identifies behavior that, in their opinion, rises to the level
of faking being fouled the whistle should be blown and the faking signal (New
#15) should be displayed.
o First Infraction – Team A has control of the ball, so the official will report
the warning to the table, notify the head coach, and then go to the point
of interruption (POI). If A1 is in Team A’s frontcourt, Team A will have a
throw-in at one of the four designated spots closest to where the faking
being fouled occurred. If A1 is in Team A’s backcourt, the throw-in will be
from the spot out of bounds closest to where the faking being fouled
occurred. (4-36-2a)
o Subsequent Infraction – A team technical foul is charged to Team A.
Team B will shoot two free throws and get the ball for a division line
throw-in opposite the scorer’s table. (10-2-1h, 10-2 PENALTY)
2. Offensive player, A1, after releasing a jump shot, goes to the floor without contact or
after incidental contact. This is described in the rules as overtly embellishing the impact
of incidental contact on an attempted try for goal. In this play, the team that is faking
being fouled is again on offense; however, there is NO team control since the ball was
released on a try for goal. (4-49-1a)
Adjudication: When does the official blow the whistle and signal for both the first and
subsequent infractions?
• As soon as the official identifies behavior that, in their opinion, rises to the level
of faking being fouled the whistle should be blown and the faking signal (New
#15) should be displayed.
o First Infraction (Successful Try) – There is NO team control, so when the
try is successful, the basket will count, the official will report the warning
to the table, notify the head coach and Team B will be awarded the ball
on the endline. Team B may move along the endline as after any
successful try. (7-5-7)
o First Infraction (Unsuccessful Try) – There is NO team control, and since
the try was unsuccessful the ball became dead when the try ended.
There is NO rebounding on this play. The official will report the warning
to the table, notify the head coach and the ball will be awarded based on
the possession arrow. If Team A retains control in its frontcourt, the
throw-in will be from one of the four designated spots nearest to where
the faking being fouled occurred. If Team B gains control in its backcourt,
the throw-in will be from the spot out of bounds closest to where the
faking being fouled occurred. (6-4-3, 6-4-4g)
o Subsequent Infraction – A team technical foul is charged to Team A.
Team B will shoot two free throws and get the ball for a division line
throw-in opposite the scorer’s table. (10-2-1h, 10-2 PENALTY)
3. Defensive player, B1, attempting to “draw a charge” goes to the floor with no or
incidental contact. This is described in the rules as overtly embellishing the impact of
incidental contact on block/charge plays. In this play, the team faking being fouled is on
defense and thus the offended team (Team A) has team control. (4-49-1a)
Adjudication: When does the official blow the whistle and signal for both the first and
subsequent infractions?
• The official should signal faking being fouled (New #15) as soon as the official
identifies behavior that, in their opinion, rises to the level of faking being fouled.
The official should withhold the whistle so as not to penalize the offensive team
for actions of the defense.
o First Infraction – The team that is faking being fouled is on defense. The
official will display the faking being foul signal (New #15) when the official
recognizes the behavior but will withhold the whistle until: (a) Team A
scores – repeated attempts at the basket are allowed; OR (b) Team B
gains control of the ball. Once Team A scores OR Team B gains control,
the official will sound the whistle, report the warning to the table, and
notify the head coach.
▪ Successful Try – The basket will count. Team B will be awarded
the ball on the endline and may move along the endline as after
any successful try. (7-5-7)
▪ Team B Gains Control – Team B is awarded a throw-in from the
spot out of bounds closest to where they gained control. (7-5-3b)
o 2nd/subsequent infraction – The same procedures as above apply.
▪ Successful Try – The basket will count. A team technical foul is
charged to Team B. Team A will shoot two free throws and get the
ball for a division line throw-in opposite the scorer’s table. (10-2-
1h, 10-2 PENALTY)
▪ Team B Gains Control – A team technical foul is charged to Team
B. Team A will shoot two free throws and get the ball for a
division line throw-in opposite the scorer’s table. (10-2-1h, 10-2
PENALTY)
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
