Starting in the 2023-24 basketball season, high school basketball fans will no longer see teams entering the double bonus nor will they see the use of the one-and-one free throw.
Monday, the National Federation of State High School Associations released a statement that effectively removed the one-and-one from the game, instead sending teams to the “double bonus” immediately once a team hits five fouls.
“High school basketball teams will shoot two free throws for common fouls when in the ‘bonus.’ This change to Rule 4-8-1 eliminates the one-and-one scenario and sets new foul limits each quarter for awarding the bonus free throw.”
To counteract this change, the NFHS also stated that team fouls will reset every quarter, as opposed to every half in the past.
Previously, teams were awarded the one-and-one bonus when their opponents committed seven fouls in a half and two foul shots when 10 foul shots were committed each half.
“The rules committee studied data that showed higher injury rates on rebounding situations and saw this as an opportunity to reduce opportunities for rough play during rebounds,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee. “Additionally, resetting the fouls each quarter will improve game flow and allow teams to adjust their play by not carrying foul totals to quarters two and four.”
The Illinois High School Association has followed NFHS rules in the past, making this rule change a shoe-in for IHSA schools at an upcoming board meeting.
