Scorekeeper buzzes prematurely

[cford]

This has happened to everyone at one point or another.

There is a dead ball and the official checks the table for subs. When they see that there are none at the table they proceed in giving the ball to the player throwing it in. Then a player runs over from the bench and the scorekeeper blows the horn. We know that this means nothing but the player stops looking to throw the ball in and waits for the substitution to take place. Usually I try and keep the count going and tell the player to ignore and continue. Sometimes this doesn't work and everyone on the court is confused.

I have handled this differently on separate occasions. First of all this should not happen if you talk to your scorekeepers and tell them how subs are to be handled, but sometimes you don't have time or they forget.

My question is do you usually just keep counting and give them a couple of extra seconds leeway on your count or do you blow your whistle and restart your count (while letting or not letting the sub in). Part of me thinks that if you blow your whistle you have just blown the play dead and you have to bring the sub in.

Is anyone a hard a$$ and counts the exact 5 seconds while the player is standing there confused?