Interfering With The Ball ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Green Team is trailing by four points in the fourth period when they score a three-point goal to cut the lead to one point. They are out of timeouts and have not been issued any of the five delay warnings during the game. As the ball passes through the net, there are less than five seconds remaining on the clock when Green #10 interferes with the ball

... the “interference” is slapping the ball three rows up into the bleachers in the corner.

What is the correct ruling on this play?

What's the "line in the sand" between interfering with the ball and preventing the ball from being made live promptly or from being put in play?

9.2.10 SITUATION A: A1 is out of bounds for a throw-in. B1 reaches through the boundary plane
and knocks the ball out of A1's hands. Team B has not been warned previously for a throw-in
plane infraction. RULING: B1 is charged with a technical foul and it also results in the official
having a team warning recorded and reported to the head coach. COMMENT: In situations with
the clock running and five or less seconds left in the game, a throw-in plane violation or
interfering with the ball following a goal should be ignored if its only purpose is to stop the
clock. However, if the tactic in any way interferes with the thrower's efforts to make a throw-in,
a technical foul for delay shall be called even though no previous warning had been issued. In
this situation, if the official stopped the clock and issued a team warning, it would allow the
team to benefit from the tactic.

Who says that you can't have your cake and eat it too?

What a "wishy washy" interpretation?

IAABO Correct Response: Assess an unsporting technical foul to Green #10

IAABO Commentary

This is one of the more interesting plays that occurred recently.

The answer to this play summary is multi-faceted, so please do not get hung up on the "correct response" listed above, as there are many complicating factors. There is a key point we wish to make as to why we selected the response that we did.

Our role as IAABO clinicians is to help officials learn the nuances of the rules to help them when they face similar situations. Here are the key points to applying the rules on this play and in similar situations when there are greater than 5 seconds remaining in the game:

Ignoring the Infraction

By far, the best way to rule on this play would be to ignore the infraction, allow the clock to run, and let the game conclude.

This season, the NFHS took a long-standing interpretation and added it to the rule book as follows:

In situations with the clock running and five seconds or less are left on the game clock, a throw-in plane violation or interfering with the ball following a goal should be ignored if its only purpose is to stop the clock (NFHS 9-2-10 Note)

This is more than ample rules support to have addressed the situation we see in the clip in this manner.