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Rule 3
ART. 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.
Definitions
SECTION 34 PLAYERS/BENCH PERSONNEL/SUBSTITUTES/TEAM MEMBERS
ART. 1 . . . A player is one of five team members who are legally on the court at any given time.
ART. 2 . . . Bench personnel are all individuals who are part of or affiliated with a team, including, but not limited to: substitutes, coaches, manager(s) and statistician(s).
ART. 3 . . . A substitute becomes a player when he/she legally enters the court. If entry is not legal, the substitute becomes a player when the ball becomes live. A player becomes bench personnel after his/her substitute becomes a player or after notification of the coach following his/her disqualification.
ART. 4 . . . A team member is a member of bench personnel who is in uniform and is eligible to become a player.
Case Book
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.
I'm looking at the books and found the above.
Definitions dont really define substitute very well. Rule 3 says if it has no substitutes, it must continue with less.
My question...should we be troubling trouble here? If a coach decides to play shorthanded, who is disadvantaged? There have been numerous examples used here....quarter eligibility, injury, illness, punnishment etc where this could happen at the JV level. I seriously doubt it would happen at Varsity but you never know.
My thoughts...why trouble trouble? If Team A has started 5 and wants to save a player for the varsity game by playing with 4 later, what disadvantage has this created for Team B? By rule, a team must start with 5. It can finish with less if it has no more subs. I ask you this....should we as officials decide for a team who is an "available" sub?
The case book situation is different where a coach would sit a player already in the game to even up the sides and go 4 on 4.
I'm leaning towards the "I got nothing" camp on this one especially at the JV level.
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