Players and coaches run onto court

["Lurker"77]

[Curious lurker from other slow sports boards . . .]

My uneducated take is that basketball benches seem very close to the legal playing surface relative to other sports.

Bench personnel are given similar exceptions to volleyball in that they can stand to celebrate exceptional plays (as in this OP) or greet substitutes. They also are required to move down the bench during live play to the scorer in order to enter. [HC also get an exception; I just read that it doesn't extend to the court which shocked me based on what I've seen in limited experience.]

Obviously, interference (or unsporting conduct) is a clear standard. Otherwise, how do you officiate bench personnel who are clearly conducting themselves in a normal fashion but are placed very close to the legal surface.

For instance, I can picture an adrenaline-filled team member in the OP jumping naturally from a bench seat, turning to hug a fellow bench-mate on one side, giving a high five to 2-3 other bench players, having that take a couple of seconds, now being step or two in front of his chair (which places him on the court), and still "immediately" returning to his seat (IF time remained, which it may not at that point). That seems a very difficult to adjudicate situation absent direct interference with play (or a ruthless zero tolerance policy which I suspect is not present) . . .

Not trying to be difficult or defend a team that actually runs out early, is unsporting, or out-of-control, I am just curious how a different sport deals with that kind of positive celebration.

[RunningFree]

Originally Posted by "Lurker"77

[Curious lurker from other slow sports boards . . .]

My uneducated take is that basketball benches seem very close to the legal playing surface relative to other sports.

Bench personnel are given similar exceptions to volleyball in that they can stand to celebrate exceptional plays (as in this OP) or greet substitutes. They also are required to move down the bench during live play to the scorer in order to enter. [HC also get an exception; I just read that it doesn't extend to the court which shocked me based on what I've seen in limited experience.]

Obviously, interference (or unsporting conduct) is a clear standard. Otherwise, how do you officiate bench personnel who are clearly conducting themselves in a normal fashion but are placed very close to the legal surface.

For instance, I can picture an adrenaline-filled team member in the OP jumping naturally from a bench seat, turning to hug a fellow bench-mate on one side, giving a high five to 2-3 other bench players, having that take a couple of seconds, now being step or two in front of his chair (which places him on the court), and still "immediately" returning to his seat (IF time remained, which it may not at that point). That seems a very difficult to adjudicate situation absent direct interference with play (or a ruthless zero tolerance policy which I suspect is not present) . . .

Not trying to be difficult or defend a team that actually runs out early, is unsporting, or out-of-control, I am just curious how a different sport deals with that kind of positive celebration.

In this situation not only were the kids off the bench and high fiving the players in the game, on the court, so was their coach. Several of the players were within the free throw lane. They were literally mixed with the teams on the court, clearly interfering with normal play.

[deecee]

You can celebrate. You cannot interfere with play. If said player is on the court and the ball is passed his way and he directly interferes with play. TTTTTTTTTTTT