Fans on court at end of game
 

Situation occured at the end of a contest here in Los Angeles last week. Struggling to find a rule to support the call.

A1 hits a shot to take a 1 point lead with 3 seconds on the running clock. Team B coach immediately calls time out (recognized by official under the basket).

Due to the noise in the gym, and the distance to calling official, the score table does not stop the clock and the buzzer sounds to end the game. Fans rush the court in front of the home team bench.

Officials correctly put time back on the clock, and call a technical four against Team A for their second delay. Team B hits both free throws to take the lead.

I don't have my rule book in front of mean, but based on my interpretation of the delay rules, because the time out is called immediate and there is no live ball action to delay, is there justification to call a T here - or should the official simply have cleared the court, put time back on the clock and proceeded as normal?

Let's all say it together: "WOW!"

:(

I had this EXACT scenario happen two years ago in a major intercity rivalry game, and we selected option B. Never considered option A, honestly.

I hope the crew was punished.

No clue

This was a game for 1st place in what I would characterize as our sections second-most competitive league. Crosstown rivalry as well. Tough way to end a game for sure.

Had something similar happen which made me know the rule.
 

Rule states that if the fans do not interfere with the continuous play of the game, it shall be ignored. Since you have a timeout and thus play has been stopped- clear the court, put the time back on the clock, start the timeout and then resume from POI.

Reference please.

I do not recall that phrase being in the FED rule or case book (I do think it's in the NCAA rules books)

what schools?

Wasn't there such a game a year or two ago where the crew did choose option A? I don't recall where, and my memory may be faulty, though.

Hart/Valencia ... this is San Fernando section of Los Angeles (these schools are technically located in the Santa Clarita Valley).

Agreed. I have not been able to find it anywhere. NCAA rules clearly state this situation WOULD NOT be a T. But high school seems absent on the matter.

The only possible wording I can find in the rule book that MIGHT allow an official to justify this Tech is

10.2.1 - Allow the game to develop into an actionless contest, this includes the following AND SIMILAR ACTS.

Perhaps one could argue that similar acts includes fans interfering, though I think this would be a major stretch since the ball was not in play.

There is also language somewhere in the book that talks about a T to the head coach for 'inciting' the fans. Also can't see applying this here when it was the clock running out that led to the fans on the court.

Thanks.

(Though I'm not sure how you get to Foothill as second most competitive league, and those teams are in 2nd and third in the league.)

In terms of top to bottom competitive within league over the years in the SFV, I'd say 1. Mission by a log shot ... 2. Foothill. Who would you place above them? And at the time of that game they were tied for first.

I'm certainly not saying Foothill is the second most competitive league in all of Southern Section. Not by a country mile. Though I will give you I have not done a game up there this year and glancing at maxpreps suggests its a down year for the league in general.

I guess if you just mean competitive internally, I couldn't tell you. But based on this year, doesn't seem an especially strong league. And having no D1 schools suggests they weren't that strong the past couple of years. Del Rey is awfully strong. Trinity is rough.

Definitely agree re Mission--it's a brutal league. (Of course, I'm biased as my son plays in it, but no easy games in that league.) I do like that it has committed to three refs and seems to get above average crews--drives me nuts to get to playoffs and have two-man teams after having three all regular season (and not necessarily top crews from my comfy seats in the bleachers
. . .).

Totally agree on Del Rey and Trinity. Like I said, Southern Section as a whole definitely has stronger leagues than the Foothill. My comment was strictly isolated to the SFV units area of coverage.

And also agree it's a positive that Mission League uses three officials. It makes for a better game overall. Foothill used three as well up until this season I believe.