[BillyMac]

There will be a quiz tomorrow.

Who’s Trent Tucker? And Why Is There A Basketball Rule Named After Him?

In high school basketball the “Trent Tucker Rule” disallows any "catch and shoot" shot taken on the court if the ball is put into play with three-tenths of a second or less left in the period. The rule was born out of an NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls on January 15, 1990 at Madison Square Garden. The game was tied at 106 with one-tenth of a second left in regulation and the Knicks in possession. During a timeout called by the Knicks both teams prepared for what was seen as the only possible way the Knicks could win in regulation, an alley-oop and tip in by Patrick Ewing from an inbounding pass. When play resumed, the inbounding Knicks player, Mark Jackson, saw the alley-oop play get broken up. He proceeded to throw the ball inbounds to Trent Tucker (Minnesota 1978-1982, NBA 1982-1993) who was the only Knicks player open. Tucker then turned around and hit a three-point jump shot before the buzzer giving the Knicks the win 109-106. Replays showed that the clock had not started until Tucker's shot was already in flight. Afterward, it was determined that a player could not catch and release a shot that quickly. In 1995, the NFHS declared that a ball put into play with three-tenths of a second or less left in the period could only be scored on a tip in.