Didn't there used to be a sentence in one of the books that said that if someone was trying to get out of the key, but a defender was blocking their path, the count could be suspended?

I don't know but I definitely suspend the count if the defender bumped or held the player. If I decide not to call a foul then I'm not going to penalize the offense for being held in the lane while they are trying to get out.

I don't remember seeing that actually in print, at least not recently, but what I had always been told was to consider advantage/disadvantage in calling three seconds. I would consider a player trying to get out of the lane and blocked the same as the player with their back to the basket, up at the free throw line, with their heels in the lane. Yea, they are "in the lane", but no real adavantage being gained.

There's a three seconds rule?
Hmm. Who knew?

I'm not sure why they call it the "three second" rule. Shouldn't they change it to the "six second" rule? That's about where my count is when I call it. ;)

I remember it saying something about that, I just can't remember how long ago, probably pre-1999.

I don't think so. I think it's good defense.

I've been told by many people in the stands that I don't know how to count. So I looked it up...and by golly the fans do know how to count. 1 2 3! :D

[Edited by tjones1 on Jan 23rd, 2005 at 03:48 AM]

Do you hear anything yelled from the stands more than "3 seconds?" I doubt there is one rule that fewer people understand in the book than this one. And have you ever called it at 3? WIth me it's more like 6 or 8 or wake him up and tell him to move now.

I hate calling it, I won't watch for it. The only time I really call it is when someone plants themselves and grows roots and doesn't move. If they're moving within the key I'm going to focus on other things like off ball contact or the ball if it's in my primary. I'm sure a coach would rather me call an illegal screen than 3 seconds anyday.

Doesn't the rule say "3 consecutive seconds without attempting to get out of the key" or something like that?

Years ago when.......
 

I was young and ignorant (now I'm no longer young) I had an interesting 3 second call. (interesting, 3 second, normally a contradiction in terms) 8th grade boys game. Team A is behind by 2 with 8.9 seconds on the clock, ball out of bounds under their own basket. Team A's biggest kid, the biggest kid on the floor by far, stations himself squarely in the middle of the lane calling for the ball. Very little or no movement. Throw-in goes to the corner, the big kid turns but still doesn't move out of the middle of the lane. After what seemed like an eternity I whistled 3 seconds. Then, like now, I didn't count, I just "knew" he'd been in there "way too long." Coach A jumped to his feet and yelled "What the...," and then looked at the clock and sat back down. I looked. The clock read 5.7 seconds. Nothing wrong with my counter. I was shocked at what a small amount of time it had been. Lag time on one end or the other? Who knows? There was nothing the coach could say, though.

I've been taught not to call it unless 1. a player with the ball get "stuck" there for 3 seconds 2. a player that camped out gains no advantage and to call it right about the time he catches the pass. At that point he then gained an advantage.

I also disagree, fans know traveling better than 3 seconds.

SECTION 7 THREE SECONDS
ART. 1 . . . A player shall not remain for three seconds in that part of his/her free-throw lane between the end line and the farther edge of the free-throw line while the ball is in control of his/her team in his/her frontcourt.
ART. 2 . . . The three-second restriction applies to a player who has only one foot touching the lane boundary. The line is part of the lane. All lines designating the free-throw lane, but not lane-space marks and neutral-zone marks, are part of the lane.

ART. 3 . . . Allowance shall be made for a player who, having been in the restricted area for less than three seconds, dribbles in or moves immediately to try for goal.
PENALTY: (Section 7) The ball is dead when the violation occurs and is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the designated out-of-bounds spot nearest the violation.

What about when that player that was camped out has a rebound drop right in his lap and he puts it back in at the buzzer to win the game?