First, thanks to all of you that responded to my Tricky time-out situation...I now am extremely well-read in granting time-outs after reading and reviewing all the rules and cases! Here is another situation I was asked about. It is similar to a recent post about 4 players returning...
After a timeout, Team A has only four players return and officials do not recognize it. Play continues for at least a possession or two until it is noticed. Coach becomes aware but does NOT send in a sub illegally but rather has him report to the scorers table to sub at next dead ball. What is correct ruling? I thought of the following based on rules and casebook:
1) Allow play to continue until dead-ball and allow sub. Only call technical if A5 attempts to enter the game illegally during live ball
2) Upon noticing 4 in game, immediately call a technical for players not all returning to the game at approximately same time (bear in mind coach had the players return at same time -- though only 4, last player did not attempt to return after realizing he was supposed to)
3) Stop play when Team A has ball and allow sub (allow Team B to have 5 on 4, though this is not really allowed legally)
I will tell you what I told the coach and what he said happened in his game.
Thanks.
Joe
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