[just another ref]

Originally Posted by johnny d

This is never a good philosophy. When officials start making judgments as to what is fair/not fair and using that as the basis for the calls they make, only bad things can happen.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree. When I'm put into a position where I have to make another wrong to make the original wrong a right, I don't. I just suck it up and go with the rulebook. That way I only have to make one apology to a coach, athletic director, player, assignment commissioner, partner, etc., not two apologies.

Sometimes life isn't fair, and sometimes the rules of basketball aren't fair either.

And this is why the part is in front of the book about intent and purpose of the rules and a team not being given an advantage which is not intended by a rule. I don't believe it was intended to give the ball back to the wrong team because of an official's mistake. Sometimes it can't be helped. In this case it can.