Free Throw Substitution...

[TRexSmarts]

Lighthouse,

Why in college basketball do teams have to wait until before the second free throws attempt before they can sub a player? Why can't they sub anytime either the first or second free throw? Any advantages or disadvantages to this?

TRexSmarts

[lighthouse]

TRexSmarts wrote: Lighthouse,

Why in college basketball do teams have to wait until before the second free throws attempt before they can sub a player? Why can't they sub anytime either the first or second free throw? Any advantages or disadvantages to this?

TRexSmarts

TL. It's the same way in High School, College, and (I think,) the NBA. It's addressed in Rule 3, Section 4, article,10. This only happens on multiple shot tree throws, and other than an attempt to speed up the game, I see no advantage or disavantage. Obviously, on the first shot of a two shot FT, there is no rebound, so it really makes no difference if a player is replaced, UNLESS, he is upset and say's something to the official that would draw a T.

[TRexSmarts]

I notice this in a game over the weekend when a player came in after a timeout for two free throws and they lined up but then the refs then made the player that came in go back to the sideline and the other player that went out to come back in for one shot before he was able to come in. That's why I thought I would ask.

TRexSmarts

[lighthouse]

Yeah I understand. In that instance, it sure didn't speed up the game.

[lighthouse]

Another reason this rule was put in was to keep the opposing coach from using a sub to freeze the shooter. However it doesn't work in this senerio. A foul is called and the player is in the act of shooting, hence a 2 shot foul. The foul happens to be the offending players 5th foul. The coach has 30 seconds to put in a sub for the player that fouled out, but if he wants to put in another sub, he has to wait until after the first shot.