Small circle within center circle

njbell89

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?

LRZ

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.

crosscountry55

LRZ wrote
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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Freddy

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

crosscountry55

Freddy wrote
Other relics of a bygone era?

How 'bout: 28' marks, segmented semi-circle within the lanes completing the antiquated jump circles, other?

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

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Raymond

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

me

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

Freddy

Raymond wrote
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.

Raymond

Freddy wrote
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.

BillyMac

crosscountry55 wrote
This is where MTD and BillyMac enter the conversation ...

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.

BillyMac

Freddy wrote
... segmented semi-circle within the lanes completing the antiquated jump circles.

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.

so cal lurker

BillyMac wrote
One could have literally dozens of jump balls in a girls subvarsity game.
.

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 . . .

BillyMac

so cal lurker wrote
...my arm could be tired from all those jump balls in the girls' games ...

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

LRZ

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

Been there, done that: https://forum.officiating.com/basketball/103715-usa-basketball-recommendations.html, posts #16 and #21.

BillyMac

LRZ wrote
Been there, done that: https://forum.officiating.com/basketball/103715-usa-basketball-recommendations.html, posts #16 and #21.

LRZ wrote
There was a time when courts had hashmarks along each side line. If a team held the ball beyond them and made no attempt to penetrate, and the defense sat back, we would, at some point, step in and tell the defense to come out and "play.".

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.

LRZ

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

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

Freddy

BillyMac wrote
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.

I distinctly recall this being called as often as possible during those 1-3/4 hour grade school games back in '76 when $5.00 was the generous going rate at the time.
Three of those games on a Friday night when there happened to be other things to do with classmates out on the town back at campus was pure punishment. But formative, in the long run, I guess. 🙂

Rich Ives

LRZ wrote
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.

Both feet at one time. Then changed to one.

Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

This thread has been a walk down memory lane.

MTD, Sr.

Nevadaref

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

How 'bout:
The neutral zone marks, commonly called the blocks, along the sides of the FT lane, which used to separate the first two rebounders on each side prior to the rule change which eliminated the first lane space on each side nearest the endline.

billyu2

Player committing a foul required to put hand up. Straight up!