Managing Free Throws

One of the biggest things that we do not do well as officials is manage free throws. It seems like an easy thing to do, but many times teams and players are able to get away with a lot more during free throws to gain an unfair and illegal advantage. You can improve the game by being vigilant during free throws. The following are some comments I heard a few years ago from Dick Cartmell and other observations that I and a few others have made on this topic. These tenets and ideas have made a huge difference for me.

1. You must not allow players to be pushed under the basket. We've all seen it--red team shooting, on the "blockout", white pushes into red under the hoop resulting in tip in or possession for red. There are only 2 ways for the offensive team to secure the rebound on a missed free throw:
A. One is for a long rebound to come out where it can be tipped by a player jumping straight up or chased down towards the sideline.
B. The other is for the offensive player to move his feet quickly enough to establish his position and get the rebound without displacing the defensive player.
Allowing players to push towards the basket happens a lot. It should be difficult for an offensive team to get a rebound on a missed free throw. Unless they get the rebound by using quickess and outhustling the defensive team--which happens more frequently than you think--or the missed free throw is a complete brick that bounces out hard, you need to make sure that the offense doesn't steal the rebound by pushing. I know I make it a point, if the game is getting physical or it is late in the game, to tell the second guy "Don't push! Use your quicks!" when administering from the lane. Doesn't hurt to reinforce this when you need to. Players listen and adapt more than you realize.

2. It is illegal of the defensive player inthe 3rd slot on the lane to "pinch" the offensive player into the defensive player in the 1st slot. This is much more important in college, when the players on the lane can move upon the release of the shot. Pinching in so the offensive rebounder in the 2nd slot cannot use his feet to try and be quick to beat the block out is a foul. Some coaches teach the "pinch". Remember, if the goal is to allow freedom of movement, and you want to avoid pushing towards the hoop on free throws, you must manage this, too. Can't have one without the other. And no, this is not a Reese's commercial.

3. Disconcerting the free throw shooter. Typically, the higher the level, the less this occurs. However, you will occasionally have players put their arms up, and drop them on the shot. I tell them to make a decision "Up or Down", and that usually stops this issue. Not dealing with disconcertion can lead to escalation of attitudes, talking, and physical play. As much as coaches hate it, if it is blatant or happens after a warning, have the courage to call it. Once you call it once, I can almost guarantee you that it will not happen again in that game. And the players will know that you are correct and mean business.

We don't talk about managing free throws much, but paying rapt attention to these little details during a time when some players and officials have a tendency to relax a little bit will pay big dividends when you need them.