[BillyMac]

I'm still working on my article on administrative infraction technical foul penalties. I was just about to "put the article to bed" and submit it when a question regarding illegal uniforms came to mind.

Here's the rule citation:

NFHS 10-5-4: The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform (see 3-4). PENALTY: (Section 5) Two free throws plus ball for division-line throw-in. The foul is charged directly to the head coach. (Art. 4) Penalized when discovered. Only one technical foul is charged regardless of the number of offenders.

Here's my interpretation, for my article, of the rule citation:

Technical fouls for illegal uniforms (including illegal numbers) are not charged to the team, but are charged directly to the head coach. If a team member participates as a player while wearing an illegal uniform, then a direct technical foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized when discovered, and the team member with the illegal uniform may participate without further penalty and is not required to change the number. A maximum of one technical foul shall be charged directly to the head coach regardless of the number of offenders.

Here's the situation that gave me pause:

The referee carelessly fails to note that A16 (an illegal number, and thus, an illegal uniform) is listed in the scorebook when he checks the scorebook twelve minutes before the scheduled start of the game. A16 is wearing a jacket during the pregame warmups so the illegal number is missed by the umpire observing the pregame warmup.

In the first period A16 legally reports to the table, is legally beckoned into the game, and participates in the game without the officials noticing that A16 is participating while wearing an illegal uniform.

Late in the first period A5 legally reports to the table, is legally beckoned into the game, and replaces A16, who is now legally bench personnel (team member, but not a player). The ball is made live and put back into play by a throwin at which point the Team B coach questions the officials about the status of A16's illegal uniform.

Is it too late to penalize the infraction at this point because A16 is no longer participating? Would it have mattered if the Team B coach questioned the officials after A16 became bench personnel but before the ball had been made live? I think not, in both cases, because the rule states "penalized when discovered" not "penalized if discovered while being violated" or "penalized if discovered before the ball becomes live" so once A16 participated the infraction could be penalized anytime after that once it came to attention of the officials. Any thoughts on this situation?

Another scenario: For the reasons stated above, it is not realized that A16 is wearing an illegal uniform until halftime. A16 has not yet participated in the game as one of the five players participating on the court. If A16 stays on the bench and never participates in the game as one of the five players participating on the court, then I'm assuming that no infraction has occurred, and no penalty is enforced. Am I wrong to assume this?

Just getting all my "ducks in a row" before I submit the article. Thanks.