Resumption of play following a time out during free throws

[truerookie]

I need clarification of the proper procedure for this. A4 is at the free throw line shooting a one plus one. Team B coach calls a time out before A4 receives the ball. The time out is granted after the time is over here is where is gets cloudy for me.
1. Are you required to blow your whistle to make the ball live again? I know you put air in your whistle to signal ready for play after time outs during the course of the game in any other situation this one area is not clear however.

2. Do you go into administering the free throws and the start; stop signal will make the ball live again by your partner or yourself on a successful or failed attempted?

Like the name states I am a true rookie however, I look for the small things in officiating that makes a differences. I cannot find anything in my references to clear this procedure up for me. All feedback is greatly appreciated.

[ChuckElias]

I do not sound my whistle after a TO when play is resumed with a FT. I've never been dinged for it in observations or at camp. I figure if they don't know we're about to start play after two horns and me saying "Two shots!" before bouncing the ball to the shooter, well, they have bigger problems than just my whistle.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by truerookie

1. Are you required to blow your whistle to make the ball live again?

Blowing the whistle never makes the ball live.

The only reference that you need is NFHS rule 6-1-2.
The ball becomes live when:
(a) on a jump ball, the tossed ball leaves the referee's hand(s).
(b) on a throw-in, it is at the disposal of the thrower.
(c) On a free throw, it is at the disposal of the free thrower.

That's it. Don't overthink these things and make it hard for yourself.

[BktBallRef]

Don't blow thwe whistle. I've never seen anyone do it.

The ball is live when the ball is at the FT shooter's disposal. Chopping only starts the clock.

Remember, just because the clock isn't running, it doesn't mean the ball isn't live.

[Nevadaref]

According to the book, you should sound the whistle. Many people don't when returning before FTs and it is not a big deal.

Officials Manual page 45
274. At the warning signal (first horn), the officials will step toward the team huddle and notify the coaches/bench by raising an index finger and saying "first horn." The officials should then move toward their proper positions to resume play. Officials shall see that each team has five players on the court. After the second horn to end the time-out, the administering official shall sound his/her whistle to indicate play is ready to resume. Signal when the clock is to start.

[JRutledge]

You do not need to blow the whistle. First of all I have NEVER seen an official blow their whistle in this situation. I have never been told by anyone to do this.

Peace

[TriggerMN]

Originally posted by JRutledge
You do not need to blow the whistle. First of all I have NEVER seen an official blow their whistle in this situation. I have never been told by anyone to do this.

Peace

It is done in the NBA quite a bit, but may not be done all the time...

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by bballrob

But the book says you should. And what's the difference between blowing when coming back for FTs and coming back for a throw-in?

I do not know that the book is really saying you should do this for FTs. It just sounds to me from that statement that you should blow the whistle after a timeout in most situations.

The problem with the NF Official's Manual is that there are a lot of things that are very ambiguous and unclear to how to apply all their mechanics. There are coverage issues that are not clear by reading the book. There are even signal mechanics issues that are not entirely covered by the book. This is no different if you ask me. If an official were to do this at the college and HS levels, it would be the first time I had ever seen an official do this. I am not a person who watches the NBA. I cannot speak for their mechanics and philosophies on this issue.

Peace

[M&M Guy]

Time for me to stick in my .02 (.03 Canadian). I agree with with JRut - I have never seen an official blow the whistle to start a free throw. I believe the purpose of the whistle is a warning to let all the players know that action is about to start on a throw-in after a time out. In the case of a free throw, the only "action" is the one player taking a shot with all other players just watching, so there's no need for a warning as such. Now the exception, as I'm thinking about it, would be the situation where a team is late coming out of the huddle before a free throw. The official should sound the whistle before starting the resumption of play proceedure. But not before just bouncing the ball for a standard free throw.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by bballrob

I looked at what the book says in Nevada's post again, and nowhere does it say "in most situations". Explain the differenece to me in why you would blow it after one timeout as opposed to not blowing it after another. The manual clearly supports blowing it after ALL timeouts, whether we're coming back for a throwin, free-throw, jump ball, etc.

I do not have to explain anything. If you feel that is the proper procedure, then follow it. I do not feel it is the proper situation, because when they talk about FT administration, this is not the suggested procedure. Now if you feel that is what you are supposed to do, do it. I have yet to see anyone outside of this board suggest actually blowing their whistle after a timeout to administer a FT.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by bballrob

Hmmm, so when it's convenient for you, you insist on following the book, but when it's not, well...........

I have a question for you. Where in the Official's Manual does it state how to follow the ball as the new trail when the ball is coming from the BC to the FC?

Peace

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by bballrob

Hmmm, so when it's convenient for you, you insist on following the book, but when it's not, well...........

I have no porblem with following parts of the book and not following other parts of the book.

No one was suggesting that it's done for the convenience of the officials.

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by bballrob
I don't know that it does, but what it DOES say is, "After the second horn to end the time-out, the administering official shall sound his/her whistle to indicate play is ready to resume." It doesn't say not to do this if you are resuming with free throws, so this should apply after all timeouts.

I don't have my books in front of me, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But, I do know that the whistle is not sounded to start a free throw after a timeout. I can only offer practical advice from my participating and watching many games at many levels, (although not as much at the pro level). The whistle is a great signaling device, and one could even argue it's use could be considered in a small way like playing an instrument. The subtlties of volume and length of sound can be used to great advantage. The "tweet" used to indicate a violation in the first 5 minutes will probably not be the same "TWEET!" used to call the foul on the shot in the last 5 sec. of a tie game, or even the "TWEEEEEET" used to indicate the start of the resumption of play procedure. Sometimes not using it can be just as effective. None of that is listed in the book. But the experience of other officials taught me those things. One of the things I've been taught is there is no need to blow the whistle to start a free throw. Of course you need to watch what is stated in this forum; not everything is correct. So, as JRut has said, you can do what you want. But if you watch other games and other officials at the level you are working, and they aren't doing it, maybe there's a reason.

[Jurassic Referee]

Jmo, but I think that the purpose and intent of having the whistle at the end of a TO is to alert the teams that play is about to begin again. The idea is to get them out of their huddles if they're tarrying a bit, or to get them into position if they're just taking their time a-bopping on over to you. If you've already got 'em lined up for a FT coming out of the TO, I really can't see any purpose to having an additional whistle sound.

Iow, no really big deal either way imo.

[rainmaker]

The correct answer to the original question (since the poor rookie's head must be spinning by now) is:

Blow the whistle if your assignor tells you to, or if it's generally accepted practice in your corner of the world. When we start arguing this intensely over something this small, the answer is usually that it depends on where you work, and who's watching.

ALso, I've been dinged in evals for blowing the whistle too often. Never for blowing it too rarely.



[Edited by rainmaker on May 13th, 2005 at 06:34 PM]