Play The Whistle …

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

... Throw-in Play that was discussed both ad infinitum as well as ad nauseam in the Basketball Forum almost 17.5 years ago.

At the risk of making Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s post even longer, just a reminder to everyone that we now have a casebook play regarding ONE of issues in his post from the past.

There is only one very specific situation that I am aware of that allows officials to "guess" or "estimate" (no actual "definite" count of any type) to change the clock.

2009-10 Basketball Rules Interpretations Situation 11: Team B scores a goal to take the lead by one point. A1 immediately requests and is granted a timeout with three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Following the time-out, Team A is awarded the ball for a throw-in from anywhere along the end line. A1 passes the ball to A2, who is also outside the boundary; A2 passes the ball to A1 who is inbounds and running the length of the court. The timer mistakenly starts the clock when A2 touches A1’s pass while standing outside the boundary. An official notices the clock starting on A2’s touch (a), before A2 releases the throw-in pass to A1, (b), while A2’s throw-in pass is in flight to A1, or (c), as soon as A1 catches the throw-in pass. Ruling: This is an obvious timing mistake and may be corrected. In (a) and (b), the official shall blow the whistle, stop play and direct the timer to put three seconds on the game clock. Since the throw-in had not ended, play is resumed with a Team A throw-in from anywhere along the end line. In (c), the official may put the correct time on the clock, but must make some allowance for the touching by A1 – likely 10ths of a second, if displayed. The ball is put in play nearest to where it was located when the stoppage occurred to correct the timing mistake. A “do over” is not permitted in (c), since the throw-in had ended. (4-36; 5-10-1)

Of course, this caseplay doesn't offer a solution to the Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s issue of the erroneous "chop" (not in this caseplay) by the official and whether the timer should have started the clock, or waited for an inbounds touch.

I do agree with Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. that 5-9-4 (If play is resumed by a throw-in, the clock must be started when the ball touches, or is legally touched by, a player on the court after it is released by the thrower.) "trumps" an erroneous "chop" by an official, even if a part of the rulebook states otherwise, but that, of course, is debatable, and a matter of opinion.