My partner tonight was on me for not making a visible count while a player was holding the ball. I finally found out by watching him that he was counting five seconds anytime the player was holding the ball, whether or not he was closely guarded. I asked him about that and he said that a player was not allowed to just hold the ball whether or not he is closedly guarded.

I can't find anything like that in the rulebook. I can only find rulings on closely guarded situations. Am I missing something?

Rita

No, your partner was incorrect.

You only count the five seconds when the player with the ball is closely guarded--the rule says within 6 feet. If not the player can stand there with the ball all night long--unless it's NCAA that has a shot clock.

Or HS that has a shot clock, or NBA that has a shot clock, etc. ;)

SECTION 10 CLOSELY GUARDED
A closely guarded situation occurs when a player in control of the ball in his/her team's frontcourt, is continuously guarded by any opponent who is within 6 feet of the player who is holding or dribbling the ball.

Your partner was wrong. If the player isn't closely guarded there is no count. You will often hear coaches tell a player to get out and guard the man with the ball after they see him just holding it like this.

He would of been right if the player was in the backcourt! :) But it doesn't sound like they were, so your partner was incorrect.

At our state meeting, the speaker was going over this and commented that it is 6 feet from the free throw line to the top of the key. I would never have thought to have considered it closely guarded at that distance.

I'm going at risk here as I don't have any books with me, but I think the distance from free throw line to top of key is not 6', but 4'9".

It's 6'. You're thinking it's 4'9" because its 15' from the backboard to the foul line, but the 19'9" is measured from the center of the ring.

stosh- nice going. Found it myself but you'd already posted. Pretty embarrassing for someone with my UserName to botch a post on this thread, eh? LOL My penance follows.....

Backboard to center of rim......15"
Backboard to free throw line....15'
Center of rim to top of key........19'9"
Free throw line to top of key.......6'