What Happens When There Is a Foul on a Player in the Act of Shooting in Basketball?
A player fouled while attempting to shoot the ball will receive free throws at all levels of organized basketball, from grade school ball to the National Basketball Association. The number of free throws is dependent on certain factors. These instances, called "fouls while in the act of shooting", can lead to interesting strategies during the course of a game and can change the outcome of the contest.
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Two Free Throws
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The most common occurrence of a player fouled while in the act of shooting happens on plays in the immediate vicinity of the basket. As the offensive player receives the ball close to the goal, she will try to shoot it into the basket. If a defender fouls her and prevents her from scoring, the referee will call a foul and award the offensive player two foul shots, or free throws, since the basket would have counted for two points had it gone in. Many of these shooting fouls occur close to the basket as defenders will try to recover in time to prevent a field goal and end up committing a foul.
Three Free Throws
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If an offensive player is beyond the 3-point line, and he attempts a shot as a defender fouls him, the results are different. The shot, had it gone in, would have counted for three points. The rules of basketball award the offensive player three foul shots if the ball fails to go into the basket.
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Three-Point Play
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If an offensive player shoots the ball while a defender fouls her and the ball goes into the basket, the free throws rewarded will change. The basket counts and the offensive player will shoot just one free throw. This means that a player scoring a two-point field goal can make three points on a single play if he hits the foul shot. In basketball vernacular, a basket scored in this manner and the subsequent foul shot is an "and one" situation.
Four-Point Plays
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Players scoring a 3-point field goal while fouled by a defender can complete a four-point play if they make the subsequnet awarded free throw. Coaches teach defenders that it makes little sense to risk a foul on a shot so far from the basket, especially if a four-point play can result.
Strategies
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At the end of games, when a team is winning a game by three points with only a few seconds left, the coaches of the team leading will employ various strategies. Many will opt to not foul and take their chances of the opponent missing a potential game-tying 3-point shot. Others will instruct their defenders to foul as soon as the offensive side inbounds the basketball, figuring that even if the opposing side makes the two free throws awarded, their team will then have possession of the ball, forcing the other team to foul them as they inbound the ball with little time left. This strategy can backfire though if a savvy offensive player realizes a defender plans to quickly foul and launches a 3-point shot as the foul occurs, giving them three free throws and a chance to tie the contest.
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References
- Photo Credit basketball in hoop image by Sandra Henderson from Fotolia.com
