Four Magic Spots ...

[BillyMac]

I worked an odd autumn intra district middle school game yesterday.

Both my partner and I (mostly my partner) struggled with the last year's new four frontcourt "magic spots" rule.

Between the first and second periods we got together and I told him simply:

"If the ball is going to be inbounded in the frontcourt, it will ALWAYS be inbounded at one of the closest four closest "magic spots" EXCEPT if the stoppage in play was due to the ball going out of bounds, in which case it will be inbounded at the spot closest to where the ball went out of bounds".

Does that simple statement cover everything?

Is there a simpler and better way to word it?

With one, and only one, possible interpretation exception, a time out after the ball goes out of bounds, inbounds at the spot closest to where the ball originally went out of bounds?

Is that (timeout after an out of bounds) the only possible exception?

How about intentional fouls, held balls, etc.?

On Greg Austin's Better Official live You Tube broadcast this morning, he suggested that partners hold up four fingers to remind each other of the four "magic spot" situations.

I'm not a big fan of that, I hold up four fingers to remind my partner that we will be shooting bonus free throws on the next foul of the period.

Last year I was reminding my partners with the words "Magic Spot".

I hate this rule!