Quote:
Originally Posted by JRutledge
When the ball is at his/her disposal, the covering official should start a count. It is really that simple. The ball in their hand is not required ... A team gets an advantage if you just let them run the clock without having to do anything.
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Agree 100% with JRutledge.
4-4-7 A ball is at the disposal of a player when it is:
d. Available to a player after a goal and the official begins the throwin
count.
4-42-3 The throw-in and the throw-in count begin when the ball is at
the disposal of a player of the team entitled to it.
7-6-2 The throw-in begins when the ball is at the disposal of a player
of the team entitled to the throw-in. The thrower shall release the ball on a
pass directly into the court … within five seconds after the
throw-in begins.
When to start the count (original post)?
NFHS definitions and rules don't give us much literary help, definitions of disposal and available may be considered judgment calls based on officials expertise, experience, and common sense, logical knowledge of the game, in other words, “I know it when I see it” (Potter Stewart, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , Jacobellis v. Ohio, 1964).
Strictly based on NFHS definitions and rules:
When does one start the count? When it's at the disposal (available) of the player.
When is it at the disposal (available) of the player? When the official starts the count.
One will occasionally hear the answers to these questions in regard to live ball/dead ball, timeout, or personal/technical foul situations immediately after a made basket.
That's circular logic, not very helpful to one who doesn't know what a basketball game is, which is why we use judgment and get paid the big bucks.
One doesn't have to go around the block many times, or attend a lot of rodeos, to know when the ball is available, at the disposal, or when to start counting.