PLay With Five, Or Sit A Tick ...

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

2002-03 NFHS BASKETBALL RULES INTERPRETATIONS

SITUATION 5: Team A is playing with five players, but has no remaining substitutes available when one of the players has an asthma attack. The coach is beckoned onto the floor. RULING: The player must leave the game unless a time-out is requested and granted to Team A with the player being ready to resume by the end of the time-out. The team may continue with fewer than five players if there are no substitutes available. An injured/ill player may return to the game after recovery. (3-3-5)

What if Team A doesn't have any more timeouts? Will Team A be forced to take a timeout and a technical foul to play with five?

So the “must play with five” rule doesn't “trump” the “must sit a tick” rule. Also the “sit a tick” after being substituted for rule doesn't actually apply here because no substitution was actually made (there was no substitute). The “sit a tick” rule only applies here because the coach was beckoned onto the court to tend to an injury.

Slightly different situation. Team A only has five players, one eligible substitute, and no timeouts. Before the first free throw of a one and one, A-6 replaces A-5. The first free throw is successful but A-1 is seriously injured during the rebounding action. Of course, the clock hasn’t started. Case play 3.1.1 states “must have five players participating as long as it has that number available”. May A-5 reenter without “sitting a tick” to replace injured A-1 fulfilling the “five players participating” requirement, or is A-5 not “available” because he must “sit a tick”?

Does the “must play with five” rule ever “trump” the “must sit a tick” rule?

I seem to remember our local interpreter, many, many years ago, telling us that in a few specific cases the “must play with five” rule “trumps” the “must sit a tick” rule, but I’m getting to the age where I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast this morning.

Now, where are my car keys?

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Sit 1) Of course they are not FORCED to take a TO and the case play comes no where close to implying that. The team can always request a TO (with the appropriate penalty).

Sit 2) There's a case / interp where A5 can return in this specific instance.

Has everyone forgotten "my" most favorite NFHS Casebook Play and it's RULING: 8.2 Situation B:

"A1 is fouled and will be shooting two free throws. After A1's first free-throw attempt, B6 (Team B's only remaining eligible substitute) replaces B2. A1's second free-throw attempt is unsuccessful. During rebounding action for A1's missed second free-throw attempt, and before the clock starts, A1 pushes B3 in the back causing B3 to roll an ankle. Team B is in the bonus. B3 is unable to immediately continue playing. Team B requests and is granted a time out in order to allow B3 to recover from the ankle injury so as to remain in the game. B3 is still not able to play after the time out has ended.

RULING: B2 may return to the game and replace B3 and shoot B3's free throw attempts despite having been replaced since he/she is the only available substitute. (R3-S3-A4, R2-S3)"

When I authored this CB Play and it's Ruling I used R3-S3-A4, but not R2-S3. For some unknown reason Mary Struckhoff (NFHS Basketball Rules Editor at the time) chose to add R2-S3 without consulting me. Had she asked I would have told her not to add it.

MTD, Sr.