Small circle within center circle
 

Is anyone familiar with why some basketball courts have a smaller circle (~2ft in diameter) within the center restraining circle? Is there a non-NFHS reason, perhaps?

My memory may be faulty (and I don't have access to MTD's attic to look through his archives), but I seem to recall, years ago, the jumpers had to have one foot in the smaller circle.

I think that’s it. If you see this feature, it is a relic of a bygone era.


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Other relics of a bygone era?
How 'bout: 28' marks, segmented semi-circle within the lanes completing the antiquated jump circles, other?









me

This is where MTD and BillyMac enter the conversation and talk about the old narrow lane.



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Well, 28' marks are relevant in regards to bench area and coaching box. ;)

Perhaps, as a possible point of reference for any schools who don't lay down the obligatory line in the OOB area to designate the inward boundary of the coaching box.
And that's for courts 84' or longer. Those shorter can't use that as a point of reference, though I bet there's a lot of misinformed AD's thinking so.

I avoid schools that don't have at least 84' of court.

Twenty-Eight Foot Hashmark ...
 

The twenty-eight foot hashmark separated the midcourt from the forecourt. Ball handlers would get a new five second closely guarded dribbling count if they passed the hashmark going forward, thus allowing sixteen seconds of legal closely guarded control, four seconds holding in midcourt, four seconds dribbling in the midcourt, dribble past the hashmark and get a new four seconds dribbling, and then finish off with four seconds of holding.

My arm's getting tired just thinking about it.

The twenty-eight foot hashmark also had something to do with lack of action, but that's another story for another time.

Who's Calling Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. Antiquated ???
 

Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s favorite lines on the court.

Three jump ball circles, center, and at each end of the court. And lots of jump balls back then. To start each quarter, and each overtime period. Plus, anytime we go to the alternating possession arrow today, we had a jump ball back then. One could have literally dozens of jump balls in a girls subvarsity game.

Yeah, it was like heaven for Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. back then.

If he had his way the alternating possession arrow would be thrown in the trash and burned to a crisp.

In my youth, I reffed middle-school/grammar school games (without training). . . my arm could be tired from all those jump balls in the girls' games . . .

Purple Girls Can't Jump ...
 

And it's always difficult figuring out how high subvarsity girls can jump in order to toss the ball to an appropriate height.

Been there, done that: https://forum.officiating.com/basket...endations.html, posts #16 and #21.

Memories Of The Way We Were ...
 

Whichever team was behind, offense or defense, was responsible to "Play ball". Tied game, defense was responsible to "Play ball".

If instructed to "Play ball" the offense had to move the ball past the hashmarks. If the defense was responsible they had to initiate a five second closely guarded count.

Not sure, but one "Play ball" warning per team per quarter, technical foul after the warning.

This was the Pleistocene Epoch version of the shot clock.

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.G...=0&w=239&h=171

That does jog my memory and sounds right. I am older than you (and MTD), so my memory lapses must be excused.