[Rich]

Originally posted by A Pennsylvania Coach

This season, my scorer has instructions to call out opposing subs' numbers during intermissions and timeouts; as gsf mentioned, it could affect our defense or matchups, or possibly how we attack offensively.

I think I've told this story on here before, but here goes...

Early in 2001-2002 season, four-team tournament final game, versus hosts. Late in first quarter, opponents put five subs in for five starters. The starters only had two capable ball-handlers, so guessing that the subs didn't, I put our press on.

In the quarter break, I told them if the reserves were still in, we were still in the press. If not, then no press. I was keeping one eye on the table until the first horn to be sure. So we come out to start the second quarter and the five starters walk out. Right away bells start going off in my head about how this could turn out really well for us. I wasn't clear on the details of the rule at the time, so I waited until the ball was inbounded to call out to the official that all five players in the game were illegal. Eventually he hears me, whistles the play dead, comes to me to clarify what I'm saying, then checks with the table to see if the anybody reported. He comes back to me telling me we have five technical fouls, and that we'd shoot five FTs.

In the back of my mind, I'm thinking it should be ten. I know there aren't any one-shot techs in Fed, but at this point I feel like a guy who just found out he won the lottery for $50 million instead of $100 million. We shoot the five, making three.

Unhappy ending is that we give away a big second-half lead to a press, with all but one of my ball-handlers either out with injury or fouls, and lose. (Karma?)

I found out later that if five techs WERE called, we should've shot ten FTs (I was pretty sure about that); but that no techs should've been called because once the ball became live, the illegal subs were now legal.

Before anyone starts throwing rocks, I don't feel bad or unsportsmanlike when taking advantage of my rule knowledge. The book is there for all coaches to read. If they don't have starters in at the ten-minute mark, I point it out to the official and lobby for the T. The rules are there for a reason.

[Edited by A Pennsylvania Coach on Jan 26th, 2004 at 03:02 PM]

You wouldn't get the chance. I'm always in the book well before the clock hits ten minutes and once I have the book I make sure things are right.

I thought most officials prevented this kind of thing from happening, too.

Originally from PA, BTW. Can you narrow down your location in the Keystone State for me?

Rich