2019-20 IAABO Refresher Exam Question #1 ...
 

2019-20 IAABO Refresher Exam
1) One minute prior to game time, the Team A coach changes a designated starter. It is not due to necessity. The official assesses a technical foul to Team A. At half time the coach has the scorer change a player’s number in the scorebook and notifies an official. The official assesses no penalty. Is the official correct? Yes 10-1-2-Penalty (10-1-2-Penalty: One foul only per team regardless of the number of infractions.)

All citations are listed below.

I agree that the correct answer is "Yes", but I'm not quite sure why.

At the Refresher Exam Meeting that I attended, we were told that the answer was "Yes" because a team "could not be charged with more than one administrative technical foul". I'm 100% certain that, in general, this is not a true statement, a team can be charged with its first administrative technical foul for failing to supply the scorer with the name and number of each team member who may participate and designate the five starting players at least ten minutes before the scheduled starting time, and then later be charged with a second administrative technical foul for one of several reasons listed in Article 2, A, B, C, D, and E.

The statement that a team "could not be charged with more than one administrative technical foul" only works if both illegal acts fall under Article 2, A, B, C, D, and E, which may be actually true in the case of Question #1, but does not apply to all administrative technical foul situations, so the verbal reason we received is incorrect unless it's modified by "it only applies to Article 2, A, B, C, D, and E" (which was not verbally stated).

So why is the correct answer "Yes"?

1) Because both acts (changing a designated starter and changing a player’s number in the scorebook at halftime and notifying an official) actually are both administrative technical fouls, and are subject to the one administrative technical foul limit under Article 2?

2) Because changing a player’s number in the scorebook at halftime and notifying an official is not actually an administrative technical foul? 10-4-1 actually allows such a change with no penalty. While the caseplay associated with this rule (10.4.1 Situation) deals with the specific situation of blood on a jersey, the rule itself doesn't specify any specific reason for the jersey change (tear in jersey, wrong size jersey, etc.) as long as an official is notified (Comment: All potential confusion has been eliminated through the official reporting and recording of the jersey number changes and the referee informing the opposing team.).

So again, why is the correct answer "Yes"?

Rule 10 Fouls And Penalties
Section 1 Administrative Technical
A team shall not:
Art. 1 Fail to supply the scorer with the name and number of each team member who may participate and designate the five starting players at least 10 minutes before the scheduled starting time.
Penalty: (Art. 1) One foul for both requirements. Penalized when it occurs.
Art. 2 After the 10-minute time limit specified in Article 1:
a. Change a designated starter unless necessitated as in 3-2-2a.
b. Add a name to the team member list.
c. Require the scorer to change a team member’s or player’s number in the scorebook.
d. Require a player to change to the number in the scorebook.
e. Have identical numbers on team members and/or players.
Penalty: (Art. 2) One foul only per team regardless of the number of infractions.

Section 4 Player Technical
A player shall not:
Art. 1 Participate after changing his/her number without reporting it to the scorer and an official.

10.4.1 Situation: A1 is directed to leave the game because of blood on his/her uniform jersey. The jersey cannot be cleaned immediately. Team A requests and is granted a time-out. A1 leaves the visual confines of the playing court and changes to a different jersey. The number change is reported to an official and the scorer and is recorded in the score book. (a) A1 completes the jersey change and the new number is recorded within the limits of the time-out; (b) A1’s original jersey is cleaned during halftime. A1 changes back into his/her original jersey and reports the change to an official and the scorer. RULING: (a) Legal. There is no penalty. A1 may remain in the game. (b) Legal. There is no penalty. A1 may enter the game wearing the original jersey. Comment: All potential confusion has been eliminated through the official reporting and recording of the jersey number changes and the referee informing the opposing team. (10-3-1, 2-3)

Is the correct answer "Yes" because of the one administrative technical foul limit under Article 2?

Or is the correct answer "Yes" because it is not illegal to change a player’s number in the scorebook at halftime after notifying an official (with good reason: blood, tear in jersey, wrong size jersey, etc.)?

Iaabo #1
 

The answer is yes as both infractions are covered by Art 2 (2a and 2c) and the penalty is only 1 Tech per article 2.

I know that "Yes" is the correct answer, and I know that both "infractions" are covered under 2a and 2c, and I know that the penalty is only one (maximum) technical foul for article 2.

My real question is is this (bolded in red below) a true infraction ...

1) One minute prior to game time, the Team A coach changes a designated starter. It is not due to necessity. The official assesses a technical foul to Team A. At half time the coach has the scorer change a player’s number in the scorebook and notifies an official. The official assesses no penalty. Is the official correct?

... based on this (also bolded in red below):

Section 4 Player Technical
A player shall not:
Art. 1 Participate after changing his/her number without reporting it to the scorer and an official.

10.4.1 Situation: A1 is directed to leave the game because of blood on his/her uniform jersey. The jersey cannot be cleaned immediately. Team A requests and is granted a time-out. A1 leaves the visual confines of the playing court and changes to a different jersey. The number change is reported to an official and the scorer and is recorded in the score book. (a) A1 completes the jersey change and the new number is recorded within the limits of the time-out; (b) A1’s original jersey is cleaned during halftime. A1 changes back into his/her original jersey and reports the change to an official and the scorer. RULING: (a) Legal. There is no penalty. A1 may remain in the game. (b) Legal. There is no penalty. A1 may enter the game wearing the original jersey. Comment: All potential confusion has been eliminated through the official reporting and recording of the jersey number changes and the referee informing the opposing team. (10-3-1, 2-3)

In other words, is it illegal to change a player’s number in the scorebook at halftime after notifying an official (with good reason: blood, tear in jersey, wrong size jersey, etc.)?

Only one possible team tech for failure to supply the required info by the ten minute mark before tip-off.
Only one possible team tech for any and all of the changes or additions listed under article two after the ten minute mark. (This covers the exam question.)
One possible PLAYER tech to the individual team member if he changes his number and then participates without notification.

A team is not permitted to change numbers for no reason. There needs to be a reason for the change such as a bloody or torn jersey.

That has nothing to do with the player changing his / her number / jersey. I don't know why you are bringing that into the question.

Team Versus Player Technical Foul ...
 

2019-20 IAABO Refresher Exam
1) One minute prior to game time, the Team A coach changes a designated starter. It is not due to necessity. The official assesses a technical foul to Team A. At half time the coach has the scorer change a player’s number in the scorebook and notifies an official. The official assesses no penalty. Is the official correct?

Because it's part of the question and I'm exploring the possibility that the player changing his number and notifying the official, may indeed not be any type of infraction.

Section 4 Player Technical
A player shall not:
Art. 1 Participate after changing his/her number without reporting it to the scorer and an official.

10.4.1 Situation: A1 is directed to leave the game because of blood on his/her uniform jersey. The jersey cannot be cleaned immediately. Team A requests and is granted a time-out. A1 leaves the visual confines of the playing court and changes to a different jersey. The number change is reported to an official and the scorer and is recorded in the score book. (a) A1 completes the jersey change and the new number is recorded within the limits of the time-out; (b) A1’s original jersey is cleaned during halftime. A1 changes back into his/her original jersey and reports the change to an official and the scorer. RULING: (a) Legal. There is no penalty. A1 may remain in the game. (b) Legal. There is no penalty. A1 may enter the game wearing the original jersey. Comment: All potential confusion has been eliminated through the official reporting and recording of the jersey number changes and the referee informing the opposing team. (10-3-1, 2-3)

The problem lies with the fact that under team technical fouls, there doesn't appear to be any situation that would allow a player to change a number, even if an official is notified. By rule it appears that such an act is strictly forbidden.

Whereas, under both player technical fouls and a casebook play, there appears to be more leeway, an opportunity for a player to legally change their number as long as they notify an official.