[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I do not know how many members of the Forum are on Facebook, but I do know that Mark, Jr., at least three esteemed members of our Forum (and active in the Forum), as well as myself are on Facebook and we all belong to a number of Basketball groups on Facebook. Being that Mark, Jr., is a full-time engineering student, our three esteemed members are young enough to be still gainfully employed, and I am the retired old geezer, I have the time to spend all day on Facebook, LOL, I get to read a number of plays on Facebook that we do not see here in the Forum. That said I am alarmed at the mindset of some of our brothers and sisters in Black and White (I am jealous of the guys and gals who work in states that allow gray, but I digress).


The following play was posted last night in one of groups in which I am a member:

Girls' H.S. Varsity; Three-Person Crew; three seconds left in the 4th QT of a three point game. I do not know which Team was leading: H or V; do I not if the C was Table Side or Opposite the Table; nor do I know which team had the Ball in its Front Court but based upon the description of the Play I am making an educated assumption that it is the Visitor's that have the Ball in its Front Court.

PLAY: The Ball goes Out-of-Bounds on the End Line and the L signals Team V's Ball. The T sounds his whistle indicating that he wants to conference with the L, as this is happening, H-HC sends Substitute H6 to the Scorer's Table to report in for H1 and is beckoned onto the Court. H6 is now a Player and H1 is now a Substitute. The L then changes his call to Team H's Ball. Apparently, H-HC substituted H6 for H1 because H1 is Team H's star player and has four fouls, and H-HC did not want to risk H1 committing a 5th Foul while on Defense. But since Team H is now going to receive that Ball for a Throw-in H-HC wants to put H1 back in the game. The Officials do not allow the substitution, and H-HC argues with such vigor that he receives a DTF for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

The Poster of the Play then goes on to say: "We know the Center should not have beckoned in the substitute until the Lead and Trail were done discussing [the Out-of-bounds situation] but it happen[ed]." I do not agree with his statement in red, but will be discussed later in this thread.

The Poster then said: "I have heard the following as ways to handle: 1) the refs followed rule 3.4 [NFHS R3-S3-A4] on subs and were correct, or 2) the refs should have used rule 2.3 [NFHS R2-S3] on refs authority."


My position is that the Officials were doing what they were supposed to be doing: The L and T discussed the OoB while the C beckoned H6 into the game to replace H1 while observing the Players on the Court. Team H is given a Designated Spot Throw-in on the End Line with H6 in the game.

I was shocked at the number of officials who stated that they would allow H1 replace H6 before the Throw-in despite NFHS R3-S3-A4 and the excuses that they gave for ignoring the Rule.

MTD, Sr.