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3.1.1 doesn't apply. It says, "In a gesture of fair play." In other words, the coach is taking the player out STRICTLY because of the fact that the other team only has 4 remaining. I have had that situtation in a game and agree the way the casebook says it is the way it should be handled.
The book does not suggest a different situation, one that is the topic of this discussion, and I stand by what I stated: a coach can make a player unavailable any time he or she wants. There's no restrictions on that. If you will recall, the player was unavailable BEFORE the foul (or event) that DQed the 5th player. Its just that you (as a game official) may not have been aware of it.
I KNOW what you are reading and what you are thinking, and agree there is a fine line here. At best, this is one of those situations not SPECIFICALLY covered by the rules, so there is some discretion. The intent of the rule is to keep 5 players out on the court, even in situations where one team only has 4 or fewer available. The intent is not violated when a coach says a player is unavailable due to the fact that he or she will no longer play on that team (or even for that game).
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