[Bad Zebra]

Billy:

What agreat reference tool this article is! My one suggestion would be to highlight each infraction you discuss to make it easier to locate in a hurry:

Officials will do everything in their power to prevent administrative infraction technical fouls. The crew arrives on the court at least fifteen minutes prior to game time. The referee meets with the table crew and reviews table responsibilities with both the home, and visiting, scorekeeper, as well as the timer. The referee reviews the scorebook, looking for duplicate numbers, illegal numbers, and to check that the number of players on each roster coincides with the number of players warming up. Officials look for illegal uniforms, and illegal numbers, during pregame warmups. Once the game starts, substitutes anxious to enter the game are given the “stop sign” and are only beckoned when allowed by rule. Officials are very careful to count players after each substitution to insure that there are only five players from each team participating before allowing the ball to be put into play. Officials notify teams, and their coach, whenever a team is granted its final allotted charged timeout.

Yet, despite officials doing everything in their power to prevent administrative infraction technical fouls, these types of infractions still occur. All of a sudden, it’s realized that there are eleven players participating. The horn sounds at an odd time, and the officials are informed that a player’s number is not recorded in the official scorebook. Excess timeouts are requested, and granted. When these administrative infractions occur, officials must be prepared to deal with them, and penalize them, in the proper manner.

Some administrative infraction technical foul situations can occur before the jump ball is even tossed. If a team fails to supply the official scorer with its roster, and/or designate its five starting players, at least ten minutes before the scheduled starting time, then a team technical foul is charged. This team technical foul is charged when it occurs, pregame, after the ten minute time limit. A maximum of one technical foul is charged for both requirements (roster and starters).

If a team changes a designated starter (with exceptions) after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. If a player starts who was not designated to be a starter, the infraction has to be discovered, and penalized, before the ball becomes live to start the game. Once the ball becomes live, it is too late to penalize this specific infraction, and no penalty can be assessed. The ball becomes live when: on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee’s hand; on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower; and on a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

Many administrative infractions can involve the scorebook and rosters. If a team adds a name to the team roster after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. When such a player legally enters the court, the player’s name, and number, must be entered into the official scorebook. In order to penalize this infraction, the player must be one of the five players currently in the game. In addition, if a team requires the official scorer to change a team member, or player number in the official scorebook (with exception), after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. If there is no request for change, or if a team member does not become a player, thus avoiding the change, there is no penalty.

Similarly, if a team requires a player to change to a number in the official scorebook after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. A maximum of one team technical foul is charged regardless of the number of players, and substitutes, not wearing the number indicated in the official scorebook. Each player must wear the number indicated in the official scorebook, or change the official scorebook number to that which the player is wearing. Any additional substitutes who become players and require the changing of the number indicated for them in the official scorebook will not result in a penalty as the one maximum technical has already been charged to the team for this administrative infraction. If there is no request for change, or if the team member does not become a player, thus avoiding the change, there is no penalty.

These three situations (adding a name to the team roster, changing a name or a number in the official scorebook, having a player change a number) are penalized when they occur, after the ten minute time limit. The infraction occurs when the scorer is advised to add to or change the official scorebook. The foul must be charged when it occurs and enforced when the ball next becomes live. Once the ball has become live, after such changes have been made to the scorebook, it is too late to penalize. Remember, the ball becomes live when: on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee’s hand; on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower; and on a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

Only one team technical foul is charged regardless of the number of players and substitutes not wearing the number indicated in the official scorebook. Each player must wear the number indicated in the scorebook or change the official scorebook number to that which he/she is wearing. Any substitutes who become players and require the changing of the number indicated for them in the official scorebook will not result in a penalty as the one maximum technical has already been charged to the team for an administrative infraction.

A maximum of one technical foul per team is charged regardless of the number of infractions for changing a designated starter, adding a name to the team roster, changing a name or a number in the official scorebook, having a player change a number, or a team having identical numbers on team members, and/or players.

If a team has identical numbers on team members, and/or players, after the ten minute time limit, then a team technical foul is charged. This infraction is charged and penalized upon discovery of identical numbers. Only one team member may wear a given number; the other must change to a number not already in use before participating.

Technical fouls for illegal uniforms, and thus, illegal numbers, are not charged to the team, but rather, are charged to the head coach. If a team member participates while wearing an illegal uniform, then a direct foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose his/her coaching-box privileges for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized when discovered. A maximum of one technical foul shall be charged directly to the head coach regardless of the number of offenders. The team member with the illegal uniform number may participate without further penalty and is not required to change his/her number. If no changes are made to the scorebook, no infraction has occurred.

If a team requests an excess timeout, then a team technical foul is charged. The penalty for an excessive timeout is assessed when discovered.

If a team has more than five team members participating simultaneously, then a team technical foul is charged. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated, in other words, while more than five team members are participating.

If a player participates after changing a number without reporting the change to the official scorer and an official, then a player flagrant technical foul is charged. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated, in other words, when a player is discovered to be participating after changing a number without reporting the change to the official scorer and an official.

If the head coach permits a team member to participate after being removed from the game for disqualification, then a direct foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose his/her coaching-box privileges for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized if it is discovered by the officials while being violated, in other words, when a team member is discovered to be participating after being removed from the game for disqualification.

If a substitute enters the court without reporting to the scorer; and without being beckoned by an official, except between periods, then a technical foul shall be chard to the substitute. A maximum of one foul for either, or both, requirements, reporting, and/or beckoned is charged. A substitute technical foul is charged if recognized by an official before the ball becomes live following the first dead ball. Once the ball becomes live, the substitute is a legal player at that point, the foul is not penalized. Remember, the ball becomes live when: on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee’s hand; on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower; and on a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

Officials do everything in their power to prevent administrative infraction technical fouls, yet, these types of infractions still occur. When these administrative infractions occur, officials must be prepared to deal with them, and penalize them, in the proper manner.