Injured Shooter?

[inigo montoya]

Airborn A1 is fouled as she attempts a lay-up, lead whistles a foul. A1 falls to the court on her back, obviously injured and in pain.

Coach asks the trail (me) official, "May I check on my player?" Trail replies "yes, coach." At about this time, the Lead asks A1, "are you OK?" and the player responds that "I think so." Of course, I don't know this as there are a crowd of players between the player and me and there's no way I'm telling a coach that she cannot check on her player!

A1 stands and appears ready for play as her coach approaches, well onto the court. The coach says something to her, then turns and walks back to her bench. As I see that A1 does not appear to be leaving and before I can say something to A's coach, B's head coach "reminds" me that A1 must come out of the game if the coach came out.

I tell the coach that A1 must come out, since the coach had come out onto the floor. She protests a bit, then says "well I can choose my shooter, right?" My partner and I inform her that, no, sub A6 will shoot two shots. Coach is not happy.


So, during the next deadball, my partner informs me that I was wrong to make A1 leave the game "since she was the shooter and has to attempt the free throws." After the game, after "we" looked up the proper administration for an Intentional Personal foul (ball at spot of foul, not at division line... she didn't believe me the ball should have been put into play at spot of foul) "we" looked up the substitution rules for an injured player. There is no exception for an injured player about to attempt free throws.

So... is it just common practice to not force a player about to attempt FTs to leave, EVEN IF the coach comes onto the floor? My partner stands by her opinion, even though we did force A1 out and replacement A6 did attempt the shots. I do give her a bit of credit for not undermining me by overruling me infront of the coach.