Technical Administration

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by The Bear

Team A calls timeout. As Team A and B are walking off the court, a member of Team B walks through the Team A huddle. One player from Team A and The Huddle Invader from Team B go nose to nose. Coaches get between players. Everyone from Team B comes running off the bench and from where they were huddling during the timeout, including assistant coach. Every player left the team area of B to run over to Team Area of A. Obviously, bench guys are disqualified. What about the players that were on the floor in front of Team B's bench who come running over?

1. I don't share your opinion that the team members from Team B are automatically disqualified. The rule requiring a DQ for bench personnel specifies leaving the team bench area. However, this action occurred during a TO and during such bench personnel are not restricted to the team bench area.

2. Team B members are required to remain in the time-out area during the granted time-out. They can be penalized for not being in that location or they can simply be penalized for unsporting behavior.

3. The five players for Team B remain players during a TO and are not bench personnel. They are required to go to the time-out area. Not doing so would be grounds for an unsporting technical foul. Behaving poorly and causing or participating in a confrontation would also warrant an unsporting technical foul.

Summary of how I would handle the penalties for this action:
a. Double player technical fouls to A1 (nose-to-nose confronter) and B1 (huddle invader). Penalties offset = no FTs awarded. 1 team foul to each team.
b. A single team technical foul charged to Team B for all of the team members and the asst coach who left their time-out area and ran over to the Team A area. This is also charged indirectly to the Team B Head Coach. One team foul added to Team B total and 2 FTs awarded to Team A, plus a division line throw-in opposite the table to resume.