By Clarence Woody, Clinician

Goaltending and basket interference are not the same. They are two different identites. First, there are four ingredients to goaltending:

1. The ball must be on a downward flight;
2. The ball must be entirely above the basket ring level;
3. The ball must have a chance to enter;
4. The ball must be outside the imaginary cylinder.

When can you have goaltending? You can have it on a try, tap, and a free throw. On a free throw, it can occur on its upward or downward flight. On a free throw it is also a technical foul charged to the player. The technical foul counts towards the player's 5 and the bonus.

Basket interference is different than goaltending. The results are the same, but again they are two different identites. Basket interference has 5 ingredients:

1. You cannot touch the ball when it is on or within the basket.
2. You cannot touch the basket when the ball is on or within the basket.
3. You cannot touch the ball when it is in the cylinder.
4. You cannot reach up through the basket and touch the ball when it is outside the cylinder.
5. The fifth ingredient is known as the "Knight rule." You cannot pull down a movable ring and the ring hits the ball before the ring returns to its original position.

Basket interference can occur on a try, tap, free throw, and anytime the ball is on or within the basket.

Basket interference and goaltending can be violated by the offense or the defense. If the offense commits the violation, it is a floor violation. If the defense commits the violation, it is a basket violation. Remember there are three types of violations:

1. floor
2. free throw
3. basket.