[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

BITS:

It is too early in the morning for me to climb up into the attic to get out my old rules books, but here is the answer to your question.

I cannot remember when the change was made but the rules use to state that the visiting team had the choice of basket to start the game. But the procedure about which you are asking is not about that rule change.

Prior to the rule change sometime in the late 1980's or early 1990's (early 90's is probably a better guess), if the teams either lined up in the wrong direction or even if they did line in correct direction but ended up going in the wrong direction and the officials did not immediately discover it, when the officials finally discovered that the team's were going in the wrong direction, the officials were to have the teams change to the correct directions AND all of the points scored by Team V in Team A's basket would be awarded to Team A and all of the points scored by Team A in Team V's basket would awarded to Team V. Mean if the the score was H: 20 and V: 10, when the officials discovered the mistake the score would become H: 10 and V: 20.

Now the score would stay H: 20 and V:10, and the officials would have the teams go in the correct direction for the rest of the game.

MTD, Sr.

Thank you very much!