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I have a similar thought to you and JR about the inherent disadvantage of playing with four, but the NFHS does have a requirement that a team has to play the game with five players if it has five team members available.
3-1-1 . . . Each team consists of five players, one of whom is the captain.
NOTE: A team must begin the game with five players, but if it has no substitutes to replace disqualified or injured players, it must continue with fewer than five. When there is only one player participating for a team, the team shall forfeit the game, unless the referee believes that team has an opportunity to win the game.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS REQUIRED
3.1.1 SITUATION: After six players have been disqualified, Team A has only four who are eligible to continue in the game as players. In a gesture of fair play, the coach of Team B indicates a desire to withdraw a player so that each team will have four players on the court. RULING: This is not permissible. Team B must have five players participating as long as it has that number available. If no substitute is available, a team must continue with fewer than five players. When only one player remains to participate, that team shall forfeit the game unless the referee believes this team still has an opportunity to win the game.
Where JR and I disagree is that my position is that there most definitely is a rule which covers a team failing to send five back out following a time-out or intermission. It is 10-1-9, and the penalty is also right there in black-and-white. The book clearly states that this is a technical foul.
What is not currently covered, due to the rule change back in 2005-06 which altered the penalty for leaving the court, is the case in which a team does this after a normal substitution process due to confusion. 10-1-9 wouldn't apply under those circumstances and 9-3-3 is intended to only govern action during a live ball.
Hence we need and have a case play that tells us to call a T if the fifth player returns to the court during playing action, but we have no guidance whatsoever if the kid does not return. This is the case for which no penalty is prescribed in the NFHS rules.
10.3.3 SITUATION B: After a lengthy substitution process involving multiple substitutions for both Team A and Team B, A5 goes to the bench and remains there, believing he/she has been replaced. The ball is put in play even though Team A has only four players on the court. Team A is bringing the ball into A's frontcourt when the coach of Team A realizes they have only four players. The coach yells for A5 to return and A5 sprints directly onto the court without reporting or without being beckoned. RULING: A technical foul is charged to A5 for returning during playing action even though A5 had not been replaced.
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