I'm trail. Point guard passes to a player along the sideline, then runs around behind the player. Problem is, she runs fully out of bounds and comes back in front of the player she passed to. Would you apply the player technical for leaving the court? I can sure see it when a team is running a play or someone is trying to go around a screen, but this was just awkward. Any thoughts?

Give a warning to the player and move on. Do not go looking for this violation. If anything, the player probably was not aware of the rule or you can say something without anyone even knowing it happen.

To be perfectly honest with you, I would have to see it to really make an issue. Because many places I have officiated, there is not enough room to run that far out of bounds on any end of the court. It would have to be pretty obvious to even make an issue out of in my mind.

Just my opinion.

Peace

mplagrow -- if there was no obvious advantage gained (no defender guard that the player was avoiding) I'd warn the first time -- such as in your case. Most players and coaches don't know this rule, and don't really think about leaving the court as an issue. Unless they are really cashing in, I'd warn first.

I have had this happen a couple of times and just warned the player and a couple of times mentioned it (quickly at a stoppage)to the coach. Each time the player did not know and did not do it again.The coaches said thanks and talked to their team about it.

I have only called this once in the years that I have worked basketball but it was a really obvious call.
The ball handler was driving in on the baseline and was trapped by two excellent picks. He passed the ball to a teammate and then cut out off the court and ran around to the far side of the paint while going behind me and then stepped back in to receive a pass. It happened pretty quickly but it was a very big "run around"
T'ed him for it and had no grief from the coach and surprisingly many fans knew the rule in that case. You know you're in for a good night when fans tell other fans what the player did wrong.

Elaborate the rule please:

- is it ANY running ooB?
- both feet?
- is it a "T" (administrative)?

Ref Daddy, check out case book plays 10.3.3SitA,B&C. Those plays should answer your questions. Btw, usually not used unless a team really gets an advantage by deliberately using the OOB.

It's the "behind the ref" thing that amuses me. I've seen it twice, the first time the girls ran it several times, with the same player going out of bounds each time, and always behind the Lead. I talked to the coach at a stoppage, and that was the end of that. How could they think it would be okay to run out of sight of the ref?!

Had this last year in JV game. Player inbounds from her own baseline, runs out of bounds the entire baseline and comes in behind screen to get pass for wide open jump shot. My partnter immediately calls T. I didn't see the play, but as soon as my partner explained it, I understood. I am trail right next to coaches. Both JV coach and Varsity coach are all over me about the call -- because they have no idea about the rule. I tell them call is right and I will explain later.

At half-time, varsity coach asks if we could show her rule book. After seeing it in writing, she whines that in 20+ years of coaching, she never has seen that call. JV coach says that is a set play that they use "all the time." We tell her to take it out of the playbook. It will cost her a T everytime.

No doubt this was an illegal advantage. And no doubt my partner was right. The coaches still don't agree.