[MJT]

In my freshmen game last night, while trying to avenge our only loss of the year to our bitter rivals, we had a tough call go against us. We are tied and I call a TO with 21 seconds to go. I drew up our play and told my asst. that we have a TO left if we get in trouble or might have a 5 second count. My PG is dribbling and breaking in and out to interrupt a possible count. I am watching the trail official and he starts to count as we go into our play with 10 seconds left. He gets to "2" and blows his whistle and calls 5 seconds. I yell how you just started counting, and was only at 2. Well, we did win in OT, but later I talked to the other official whom I know about the game. He said, "I didn't question him, but said how they didn't like your 5 second count." His reply was, "ya, I had the first three seconds mentally, and only counted out the last two visually." After my blood pressure returned to normal, I said "please tell him why he cannot do that. Coaches will watch for the count in that situation and call a TO if they are getting close to 5."

I, as the varsity assistant, will tell our guards "no count, no count," and then "count started" when we are in that situation in a varsity game. They use me as a reference of if they need to start their dribble, pick it up, or pass the ball. So please, do not do part of a 5 count in your head at the end of a quarter especially!!!