This is an opinion piece.

UMS-Wright men’s basketball coach Michael Napp calls the new national rule on high school free throw shooting “the most significant change” in the game since the three-point line was instituted in the late 1980s.

The National Federation of State High School Associations announced last month that, beginning next year, teams will shoot two free throws for all common fouls when in the bonus.

In other words, there will be no more one-and-ones.

“In my 23 years as a coach, I can’t think of a more substantial rules change that has taken place that will really change the game and how it’s coached and how the players handle foul calls,” Napp said this week in an interview on Sports Talk 99.5 FM in Mobile.

In addition to awarding two foul shorts for all common fouls, teams will reach the bonus when their opponent commits five fouls in a quarter. Team fouls will then reset every quarter. Previously, teams were awarded the one-and-one bonus at seven fouls in a half and two shots at 10 fouls.

“It’s going to be a big difference,” Napp said. “I’m OK with it. I think any time you are aligning high school rules to college rules and pro rules that is best. The odd thing is colleges don’t use this rule because they still play halves.

“I don’t think there will be more free throws shot. I actually think there will be less. You think about a team that is in the bonus in the first quarter and now they are in the bonus the whole second quarter. Now you won’t have that. You will start at 0 every quarter.”

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The rule obviously can direct a team late in the game that is trying to rally from behind.

“There is an awful lot of pressure on a kid shooting the front end of a one-and-one in a close game, say you are up one or up two and you are trying to catch up and you foul and put a kid on the line, and he has to make that front end,” Napp said. “There is a lot of pressure. That is gone now.

“It’s definitely to the advantage of the team that is ahead at the end of games. That will be an interesting thing to coach through at the beginning of the season and figure out how you are going to come from behind. Hopefully, we’ll just be ahead in every game and make all those free throws, and it won’t matter.”

Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS Director of Sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee, said in a release that the committee studied data that showed higher injury rates on rebounding situations and saw the new rule as an opportunity to reduce rough play for rebounds.

“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,” she said.

Another big hire for Saraland

Saraland has hired former South Alabama women’s basketball coach Terry Fowler as an assistant to Amanda Niehoff in the Spartans’ girls program.

Fowler was approved Thursday night. He spent 10 seasons with the Jaguars, posting a 129-173 overall record.

Fowler’s best season came in 2018-19, when the Jaguars posted a 25-11 record and reached the Sun Belt Conference championship game before advancing to the second round of the Women’s NIT.

The Spartans hired Niehoff away from St. Paul’s in March to lead the girls program. She was 116-93 overall with St. Paul’s. She replaced Janel Williams at Saraland.

New job for Luker

Hall of Fame football coach Stacy Luker is reuniting with an old friend.

Luker told AL.com this week that he will be assistant head coach and defensive backs coach for Jack Hankins at Wayne County, Miss.

Hankins was Luker’s defensive coordinator when both were at Thomasville. When Luker left for Sweet Water, Hankins was named head coach at Thomasville and won 169 games and a state title in 19 years.

He retired from Alabama public schools following the 2020 season as was named head coach at Wayne County.

Luker stepped down after six years as head coach at Clarke County following the 2022 season and was briefly named head coach at Cottage Hill Christian in Mobile before deciding not to take that job.

Other statewide high school news:

Sparkman has named Ben Stevenson as head baseball coach.

Florence named Haleyville’s Dylan Burleson as the new boys basketball coach.

The AHSAA announced its Making the Difference Award winners for 2023. They are Towanna Flennory of Keith, Jaqueline Parsons of Red Bay, Katie Barton of St. James, Ryan Roberson of Brooks, Curtis Coleman of Leeds, Dennis Conner of Central-Tuscaloosa and Adam Massey of Opelika. The Making a Difference Award was established in 2011 by the AHSAA and AHSADCA to recognize individuals who go beyond their normal duties as a coach, teacher or administrator to make a positive impact in their schools and communities.

Thought for the Week

“On what foundation are you building your life?”

Ben Thomas is the high school sportswriter at AL.com. He has been named one of the 50 legends of the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Follow him on twitter at @BenThomasPreps or email him at [email protected]. He can be heard weekly on “Inside High School Sports” on SportsTalk 99.5 FM in Mobile or on the free IHeart Radio App at 2 p.m. Wednesdays.