Table Crew Help ???

[BillyMac]

I saw a super weird play in a State Tournament game last night.

Weirdest play of the year.

Luckily the score wasn’t close.

Very odd alley oop play.

All three officials were surprised by the play and the pass went directly into the basket.

Nobody in the gym expected a shot in that situation. A pass such as that that goes in counts (the ball stayed above the ring level), but all being surprised, and thinking it was a pass, failed to get a look at the three point line.

No three point attempt signals, no successful three point signals, no choice; it had to count as a two.

Game was already decided, so no question from the coach.

The player that was supposed to receive the pass for a dunk never touched the ball, but he did touch the ring.

Since it was deemed a pass, not a try, goaltending is immediately off the table, leaving just basket interference.

Player never touched the ball. The ball was in the cylinder above the basket when the ring was touched by the player. That’s a legal play, different story if the ball was on the ring when the ring was touched, or if the ball was touched in the cylinder above the basket.

Great no call, count the basket.

Now the hard part.

Two or three?

Nobody noted where the pass originated from in regard to the three point line.

Could the officials have asked the table crew for help?

A few years ago, as a trail, I had a train wreck on the floor at the elbow during a shot attempt. I called a foul on the defender, but my attention was immediately directed to the possibly hurt players on the floor. I eventually reported the foul to the table, two free throws, and one coach immediately and politely asked me, “Didn’t the ball go in?”. So I asked my rookie partner (worst partner ever, sounded whistle for “Incidental contact” earlier in the game), and got no help. So I asked the table crew and all three, home scorer, visiting scorer, and timer, agreed that the ball went in. So I counted the basket and administered one free throw.