[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by Nu1
I'm interested to hear how people handle the "no timeouts left" situations in games. Specifically how you handle informing coaches of their timeouts

When they have used their last timeout, I let me know after the timeout is used up. By the time that I know it's their last, the HC is already talking to his players. Never interrupt that conversation unless you are prepared to reset the timeout to it's full length.

Originally posted by Nu1
and then how you handle it when a coach wants a timeout he/she doesn't have.

Coaches have as many timeouts as they want. After the allotted (sp?) timeouts of 3 fulls and 2 30s, each granted timeout is penalized with a technical foul. That's right out of the Fed book. You do nothing different. However, I would tell the coach that that timeout will haveto be penalized, and I tell him/her this before the timeout begins. He has that right to tell his team that they are on defense.

Originally posted by Nu1
I saw a boys varsity coach request a timeout he didn't have. He knew he didn't and he wanted it anyway. It was during the course of play and one official looked at him and shook his head "no" to tell him, "you don't have any." The other official (new trail, right in front of the coach) looked at the coach, who was still signalling for the timeout, and gave it to him...along with the T.

1st official had a brain fart, 2nd official didn't. I think you knew that though.

Originally posted by Nu1
I had a situation last night. Granted, it was 6th grade girls, but I could easily come across this at higher levels and want to get a better handle on how I would / should handle it. Here is the scenario...

During a timeout the clock operator (seated between the official/home score keeper and the away score keeper) tells my partner and I both teams are out of timeouts. (Neither my partner nor I tell either coach.)

Play resumes and Team A (home), down 2 points, gets possession of the ball in their backcourt with 20 seconds left in the game. As we move into Team A's frontcourt, I am the new Lead - across from the team benches. I see the coach for Team A jumping up and down signalling for a timeout just as player A1 is setting up to take a three point shot.

By rule, it should be granted, along with the T. If the opposing sees you ignoring the request, he could be rightfully peaved. This is game awareness. When I know a team has no timeouts left, I make sure that I don't miss anything on the court.

Some might say that you can ignore the request because it is only 6th grade girls, etc.... and there are more important things than granting a TO that may hav ebeen requested just as A released the ball.

Originally posted by Nu1
I ignore the timeout request thinking he doesn't have any timeouts and not wanting to have to issue the T in that situation. The girl misses the 3, team B rebounds, team A fouls. My partner tells the coach he didn't have any timeouts left and he seems surprised, but is okay with the explanation as to why we didn't give him the TO.

So, any specific criticism on how I handled the situation is welcomed. But also, in general, how do you handle timeout counts? Do you tell the coaches, "You've got one left," or "You've got no timeouts."?

I let the table keep track of timeouts. I definitely tell the coaches when they're out of timeouts. If they've used a few timeouts in a short amount of time, I will quietly remind them that they've used x timeouts so far.

Originally posted by Nu1
(I've heard some people tell me - "Don't tell them anything. What if you're wrong? It's not your job to tell them." Others seem to say it's good game management to let them know.)
If you don't tell the coaches, but you've been told by the table that they don't have any timeouts, do you ignore their request in a tight game...a blow out...does it matter? Do you just give them the timeout whenever they request it no matter the circumstances?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

I believe it is good game management to communicate where it's warranted - when they are of TOs and when they've used a few in a short amount of time. Perhaps at other times too, but those times are part of the 10 of the 90/10 rule.

The table telling the coaches they are out of timeouts has no bearing on my calling the game. Ultimately, it is the team's responsibility to know how many TOs they have left. A coach has reason to be upset if you deliberately ignore his request. Just grant it.