|
I attempted to Case Book-ize the situation described in the OP.
Here it is: events in the last fifteen seconds of game time Friday Feb 6,2009 Between Bella Vista (Team B) and Rio Americano (Team A) at Rio Americano.
Team A is down 5 point with the ball and about 15 seconds left in the game. A1 attempted a shot in close proximity to the basket which was blocked and recovered by B5. A1 grabbed B5 around the waist and wrestled him to the ground. There was no doubt the foul was intentional and flagrant and the referee blew his whistle and made the gesture usually recognized as an ejection from the game. There was not any further altercation as B5 got up and walked quickly away towards the Team B. The time on the clock was about 12 seconds.
The referee approached the scorers table and said, foul and double technical on A1, crossing his arms at the wrists as he did so. A1 went to the bench and stayed there for the reminder of the game.
The referee and his partner conferred with the official scorekeepers for a minute of two and then the announcer stated that Team B would be awarded 6 free throws two for the foul on A1 four for the double technical on A1 and two for the Team A coach coming off the bench. He then announced that Team A would get 16 free throws because two Team B coaches and seven Team B players (B6, B7, B8, B9, B10, B11, B12) had left the bench.
After Team B attempted their six free throws ( I believe making 5 of 6) it was then announced that Team B would get two more free throws and Team A would get a total of 18. (seems to have been bad math the first time). Team B made one of two.
Team A made 17 of their eighteen free throws. Team A was awarded the ball because the referee said it was a jump ball situation when the foul occurred, even though the B5 had the ball and was tackled around the waist by A1.
Team A turned the ball over and Team B attempted one more shot before time expired.
Was the awarding of the free throws and the ball handled correctly?
I can only assume that the official initially called a foul on A1. He then called two technicals on A1. The first technical for wrestling B5 to the ground and the second technical, perhaps, for continuing to fight. He then issued a flagrant technical on Team A head coach for leaving the bench area without being beckoned (this should have resulted in an ejection since the head coach was not beckoned).
The result here is an intentional foul on A1 (2 shots), two flagrant technicals on A1 (not sure how he can justify two technicals on top of the intentional foul -- based on the arms crossed signal -- but, I can only assume that he felt that time had elapsed between the individual events). One additional technical on A1 HC for leaving the bench for a total of three technical fouls.
He then has a total of nine technicals on Team B -- one for each coach leaving the bench and one for each of seven players leaving the bench.
UNFORTUNATELY, he did not appear to have gotten it right.....
Per the Rules Book on fighting under Rule 10 Summary: .
8. Fighting:
a. Players on the court:
(1) Corresponding number from each team – double flagrant fouls, all participants are disqualified, no free throws are awarded, ball is put in play at the point of interruption.
(2) Numbers of participants are not corresponding – Flagrant fouls and disqualification for all participants, two free throws are awarded for the offended team for each additional player, offended team awarded a division line throw in.
b. Bench personnel leaving the team bench during a fight or when a fight may break out:
(1) Do NOT participate in the fight – nonparticipants are assessed flagrant fouls and disqualified. The head coach is assessed a maximum of one indirect technical foul (regardless of the number leaving the bench). If the number leaving the bench for each team is corresponding, no free throws are awarded, and the ball is put in play at the point of interruption. If the number leaving the bench for each team is unequal, a maximum of two free throws are awarded the offended team, followed by a division line throw-in opposite the table.
With a case play that is pretty close:
10.4.5 SITUATION F: It appears a fight may occur on the playing court when (a) A6 and A7; or (b) A6 and B6 leave their respective benches. RULING: In (a) and (b), all players leaving the bench are assessed flagrant fouls and disqualified.
The respective head coach is assessed a maximum of one indirect technical foul (regardless of the number of players leaving the bench). In (a), Team B is awarded two free throws and the ball for a division line throw-in. In (b), no free throws are awarded and the ball is put into play at the point of interruption. (4-36).
It appears as though BOTH head coaches (and the Team B assistant coach) should have been ejected since they came onto the court without being beckoned. IF the technical fouls on A1 were not simultaneous in nature, perhaps, the official can justify two free throws for B5 for the intentional foul of grabbing by A1. He then may be able to justify two technical fouls on A1 for TWO SEPARATE ACTS AFTER the intentional foul (one for wrestling B5 after the foul and a second for taking B5 down after the wrestling technical). I think that calling more than one foul (a flagrant foul for the entire act) is a stretch unless there was clear time between each act (for example, if you call an intentional foul on a player and he responds with a f*** you, it would be reasonable and expected to have an intentional AND a technical as two separate fouls).
Even if the official can justify 6 free throws rather than two for the actions of A1, he cannot justify all of the subsequent free throws for the actions of the coaches and players B6 through B12. He should have only awarded two free throws to A1 since Team B had more players/bench personnel involved. Each of the players (A1 and B6 through B12) involved would have been ejected (A1 for two technical fouls or a flagrant foul and B6 - B12 for leaving the bench area). Play should have been continued with a throw-in by Team A at the division line since the technical fouls assessed against Team B came after the foul and technical fouls assessed against Team A.
I am thinking that I likely would have called a intentional flagrant foul on A1 (possibly an intentional foul on A1 AND a flagrant technical foul, IF I felt that there was clear time BETWEEN the intentional and the fight). This would have resulted in two Free Throws for Team B (four if I assessed the two fouls on A1). Then, I would have issued the technicals on each of the bench personnel and I would have awarded a total of two Free Throws to Team A for the uneven number of simultaneous technicals on the two benches (ejecting each of the three coaches and disqualifying players B6 through B12 along with A1). Since the technical fouls on the bench personnel occurred after the foul(s) on A1, Team A gets the ball at the division line.
But, I very well may have something wrong, here.
|