Quote:
Originally posted by Jay R
Found this question on a website, but no answer. So I am curious.
Team A is down by 2 points as the game clock is running down. A1 attempts a 3pt shot. Bench player B6 runs onto the court and blocks A1's attempt as the buzzer sounds. What is the ruling?
This was an NCAA rules question.
[Edited by Jay R on Aug 23rd, 2004 at 11:42 AM]
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I don't have my rules books in front of me because my basketball briefcases are in the attic right now and I do not feel like climbing up there to get them. That said lets break-down this play.
1) A1 is dribbling the ball toward his basket while there are only five players from Team A on the court and five players from Team B on the court.
2) A1 releases a three-point field goal attempt before time expires to end playing time in the fourth quarter (NFHS), second half (NFHS/NCAA), or overtime period (NFHS/NCAA).
3) Before time expires and after A1 releases the ball for his field goal B6 leaves the Team B bench and enters the playing court.
4) As playing time expires, B6 makes contact A1's three-point field goal attempt while the ball was still on its upward trajectory. The B6's contact with the ball occurs as the Timer's horn sounds to signal end of playing time. B6's contact with the ball causes the A1's field goal attempt to be unsuccessful.
What do the officials have beside what a US Marine would call a "cluster f***?"
RULING:
1) When B6 enters the playing court, B6 has committed a technical foul for illegally entering the court. I am going to make Assumption #1: The covering official saw B6 illegally enter the court and correctly sounds his whistle when B6 illegally enters the court. B6 will be charged with a technical foul for an illegally entering the court.
2) The official's whistle does not cause the ball to become dead. The Timer should stop the game clock when the game official sounds his whistle. Remember that NFHS and NCAA rules differ with the regard to lag time. Since we do not know if lag time was a factor in this play. I am going make Assumption #2: That the Timer did not stop the clock when the game official sounded his whistle and that had the Timer reacted correctly to the game official's whistle, the game clock whould have been stopped by the time B6 made contact with A1's field goal attempt.
3) Remember, that even if the Timer had stopped the game clock correctly, it is legal for a player from Team B to block A1's field goal attempt.
4) Applying Assumption #2, the game clock has to be reset to the time on the game clock at the time of B6's illegal entry onto the playing court.
5) Applying my Assumption #2 once again, the following two questions need to be answered: Does B6 become a legal player when he illegally enters the playing court? Can Team B be charged with a technical foul for having six players on the court?
The answer to the first question is no. B6 has not become a legal player. The game official sounded his whistle when B6 illegally entered the court. B6's technical foul was recognized by the game official when the infraction of the rules occured. The answer to the second question is no. Since B6's illegal entry onto the playing court was recognized by the game official when the infraction occured, Team B cannot be guilty of having six players on the court.
6) Even though any of the five legal Team B players could have blocked A1's field goal attempt after the official sounded his whistle and the game clock was stopped. B6 cannot. B6's contact with A1' field goal attempt should be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and should be charged with a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. I am not going to get into how many team fouls are counted toward Team B's team foul count, B6 is disqualified for receiving two technical fouls. And Team A is awarded four free throws for B6's two technical fouls and will then receive the ball for a throw-in at the division line.
MTD, Sr.