NFHS rule. team A is shooting the second of 2 foul shots and it goes in. Team B grabs ball and while heading out of bounds to inbound the ball, Team A coach calls for a time out.
Can it be granted?

I'm going to grant the timeout.

Dead ball 6-7-1 & 5-8-3-b

What do you want coach? 30 or a full?

4-4-7
A ball is at the disposal of a player when it is:
a. Handed to a thrower or free thrower.
b. Caught by a player after it is bounced to him/her.
c. Placed on the floor at the spot.
<u>d. Available to a player after a goal.</u>

By rule you aren't suppose to, however if the coach is quick before he starts to inbound the ball, I'm going to give it to him.

If my interpretation of the rule is correct, technically, a time out should not be granted h o w e v e r...In practice over the past 20 years I have usually granted the time out and cannot recall an opposing coach ever questioning it. I think most coaches anticipate that the opposing coach in certain situations are likely to call a time out. I was taught by Mr Derrick from Dallas years ago to anticipate game situations and be positioned and be ready to act if appropriate. If a coach questioned my call I would simply say I saw the coach signal prior to the player obtaining control of the ball.

By rule, yes, the timeout should be granted.

Either team can request a timeout when the ball is dead. The ball is dead until the throwin begins. If the player is still inbounds, the throwin has not begun unless you consider them to be delaying and you've started the 5 second count.

A lot of people get hung up on the "available to a player". That is intended to mean that the player and and ball are in or have had sufficient time to be in a position to make a legal throwin.

The "available" part is there cover the situation where the player has the ball bouncing at his feet and could easily pick it up for a throwin but is attempting to buy extra time for his team to setup or is attempting to consume extra time off the clock. The intent of this sub-part of the rule is to force/allow the starting of the 5 count to prevent the team from gaining an unintended advantage.

The way I look at it, the ball is officially at the disposal of the player to throw it in when you start your 5 second count.

If the timeout is called before I start the visible count, I'm granting it.

Camron and Ref18, those are both GREAT points and I would concur with you both. During the action between a made basket and a throw in, at any point during the game, has factors as you point out that effect if a time out can or should be aknowledged.