A1 to inbound on spot throw in on endline. Referee is standing OOB about 6 feet away, making visible count. His arm extends over the boundary, so it is over the court as he counts. Yeah, I know he should be back farther but there is very little space to the wall and he was back as far as he could go.

A1's pass hits his arm while it is over the court. Remember, the official is standing OOB, so technically, the ball has hit an official while he is OOB. By rule, this is the same as hitting the floor OOB.

Would you call an inbounds violation? Why or why not? After all, A1 did throw the ball directly toward the court... or did he?

This happended to be earlier in the year. I felt it was my fault, I told both coaches we would attempt the throw-in again. No one had a problem with it.

I agree, you should enforce rules but sometimes you need to do the right thing for the kids. It also may depend on where the ball was going. If it hit you that close to being ob and you were that far away, could the ball have been caught by someone inbounds. I saw a play one time in transition when the player caught the ball and when he turned he hit the official. The ball went ob and the official said he was in the way and give the team who lost the ball back to them. He told both coaches and neither had a problem with it. Sometimes even coaches can agree that the right thing needs to be done. How many times have we all been hit by the ball or got in the way of the players. We are just not as fast as some of these kids on the court.

Hmmm . . . interesting. I agree, and yet this isn't totally different from a previous post about the official handing a throw-in to the wrong team. The majority of respondents, as I recall, argued in favor of following the book to the letter, rather than doing "the right thing" (i.e., bringing the ball back for a do-over). Granted, the ball hitting the official's arm is not an "error" per se, as is the wrong inbounder situation, but the book may still cover both situations in a way that most people feel isn't really the fair solution. Interesting parallel, anyway.

I don't know.

The rules are written pretty specifically. They included that the official if OOB for a reason.

I had this happen in a game between the all-stars of the "ABC All-Day Day Care" and "We Treat You Right" Day Care.

Is was a great game... right til the end. Tight game at 82-76, 0:17 left to play in the 4th, when this happened, and I called a violation.

The coach was kinda mad so I T'd him. Then he called me a rookie, and I T'd him again because he hurt my feelings. The other team shot 4 shots, made all 4, then sank a 3-pointer. Now B is up by 1.

A had won this tournament the past 9 years, so had a dynasty. But I didn't feel that I had an impact of the game.

B ended up winning the tournament.


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Ok, so I'm just kidding. Of course you call it back... it's the ref's fault. As is too many players after a sub sitch, and the wrong players nearest the baseline on FTs.

..Mike

Below varsity, I would agree to a do over. At varsity or above, they need to know that the ref is part of the floor and should see you (as well as defenders who may sneak in). There are all sorts of other situations where you could be out of position and in the way and you wouldn't call them back if the ball hit you. There was an earlier thread on this, where a ref hadn't gotten clear near the baseline and the ball hits him. I see this as no different. Coach will scream at you (rightfully - you screwed up), but players need to have awareness of everything on the court. And what if you are on one of those courts with 1/2 foot of space at end line?

I was there last night, Coach. ...On that court. I backed off a long way. A throw-in count on the corner of that court is very subtle.