Intentional Foul

An intentional foul in basketball is part of a strategy used to enable a team to be awarded with more free throws during the bonus part of a game. This strategy relies on the offensive players setting up fouls in which defensive players are likely to concede to, which leads to extra free throws being awarded after their team foul limit has been reached.

Intentional fouls are routinely utilized as a means of extending the game’s play in the hopes that a rebound can be awarded during the two free throws that a foul often leads to.

How to Spot an Intentional Foul in Basketball

Intentional fouls in basketball are often abundantly clear. They occur usually in the dying moments of a game, and are made to be obvious enough for the referee to spot from a mile away. This can include wrapping arms around an opponent to impede them in a way which doesn’t injure them. Intentional fouls are committed by the defense. They can also be used as a means to prevent the opposition from scoring in order to receive points at the free throw line. This method is considered to be harder to pull off, due to the likelihood of a flagrant foul being called due to the excessive force that will be needed to ensure a shooter doesn’t make a successful throw.