Mostly I've seen it in contact situations in the paint where there should have been a foul called, typically on the offensive player. Usually it's less experienced officials, but I have worked with one or two veterans who admitted deliberately making the 3 second call rather than assessing a PC foul.

That is crazy. Vets in our association said that? These are probably the same guys who evaluate the rest of us. Ugh...

Does anyone here really call 3 seconds at exactly 3 seconds? I know for myself, it is more like 5 or 6 seconds.

Howard will call it a BO call. Bail Out. I know at least one guy who is very vet, and will pull that every time. Some nights he ahd Howard will argue in meeetings about it while the rest of us laugh. Don't worry, Smitty, they're not tournament officials.

Clerical error (since corrected) by someone responding to someone who responded to my post. I've deleted my post.

Since we are on the subjuect of 3 sec.
I had a rec. league game where a post player is posting up.
I told him to get out of the key as he was getting out he decided to just straddle the key line one foot out and the other inside the key as I was telling him to get out he decided to stay at the low post and just lifted his inside foot that was in the key to avoid a violation.
During a dead ball I told him he needed to be completely out meaning both feet has to be touching outside the keys,he told me that he is an x-college player and he know the rules on the 3 sec. and stated that as long as he has no body part touching inside the key the count should be terminated and that it is legal to just lift his foot up to be consider out of the key.
We argue about it for a few minutes and I told him as long as am refing this game he need to get out base on my rule enterpatation of the 3 sec.
Soon after the game was over I tried to look it up on the ruling or try to find a better case senario but can't seem to find it so can u help me with the rule on the 3 sec.

Both feet need to clear the lane, 9.7.C.

what do u mean by clear, I don't have the rule book on hand with me right now so can u explain with more details?
Do u mean that the entire body and feet have to clear the vertical line?

How a coach can get a T
 

Coach Trenkle from San Diego State (years ago) told an officials group that when he wanted to get a T to motivate his players, he had a fail-safe line:
"Hey ref, I know you can't count to three, but you can probably at least count to one, three times!".

Both feet must contact the floor OUTSIDE of the lane.

I look at 3 seconds this way. If I have a "camper" I verbally tell them to clear the lane. If ignored I will let it go until they get ready to catch a pass. Right as the player catches the pass I will call it. At that point I have the offensive player gaining an advantage. Before that time I feel he has gained nothing. This way we keep the game going unless it is really needed to be called. And Yes my 3 seconds is about 5 in reality.

Maybe it's just me
 

I cannot remember ever counting for 3 seconds!

I usually see the player in the paint, and depending on the action, will just call it or not. Maybe it's just me, but I have too many other things on my mind other than counting to 3 or 4 or 5.

Re: Maybe it's just me
 

Unless by count you mean:

1. See the player in the lane.

2. Watch more crucial stuff.

3. Still see them there so, "Get out of the lane."

4. Watch more crucial stuff.

5. Still there, "CLEAR IT!"

6. Whistle. :D

I had a fan yelling for three seconds the other night -- while the ball was still in the hands of the player throwing it in from the baseline.

I'll admit it, I couldn't help but laugh.

Yeah, and what's really pathetic is when a coach does the same thing - had that happen in a G8 tournament last weekend.....