Question regarding players switching on a free throw

[grizwald]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. I'm not an official, so I hope I'm not breaking any rules of etiquette by posting on here. I'm just a fan, parent and volunteer scorekeeper.

In my daughter's game this weekend with her AAU club there was a strange situation.

Team B is shooting the second of two free throws. Team A subs in their big center. Coach A tells this player to switch with the other player on the block, to block out a certain player. Team B then switches their two players on the lane. Team A switches again.... This switching continues until the official calls a delay of game on both teams, nullifying the upcoming second free throw and going to the possession arrow to award Team B the ball.

Was the official correct? Someone once told me that the offense had to set first. This is something I only vaguely remember and I have no idea where I heard it, so I was wondering if this official got the call right.

[rainmaker]

A -- welcome to the board. You are most welcome here, as long as you don't start ragging on the refs. We love fans and parents who truly want their questions answered and are willing to believe us. Furthermore, if you are a some-times scorekeeper, you'll find that we can give you little hints about that, too. So welcome!!

PS also, if you're a mom, I will personally add an extra welcome, since there aren't too many women around here and it would be nice to have another one.

B -- There's no rule about this kind of switching -- or at least no rule about who goes first and who can't go next or whatever. Personally, when I run into this situation, I just bounce the ball to the shooter at any point when the lane is clear. Then if they try to switch again, it's a violation. It's silly to do this sort of thing, and I think interrupting it is more practical than to administer a Double Delay of Game? If there even is such a thing?

[Jurassic Referee]

After a couple of times, I tell 'em "That's it. Pick a spot and don't move". If they want to ignore me and switch again, it's a "T" for delay under R10-3-6(a)- "delay the game by preventing the ball from being made live promptly...". That's good enough for me.

If a player goes across twice, that's when I'm putting a stop to it - at any level.

[grizwald]

Thanks for the replies and the words of welcome.

Rainmaker - I'm a Dad, so I guess just add one more male to the forum. And honestly I never rag on a ref (I keep my negative comments to myself), at least not refs at my daughter's game. Sometimes when I'm watching a college or pro game. Although it's amazing how many parents will rag on the refs at those games. And once a parent starts to jaw at the refs, every single call won't be correct as far as they're concerned. It won't stop unless the ref puts them out.

As far as the situation I asked about. There really never was any time the lane was clear, at least not after the first couple switches. Basically you had four girls standing in the lane, waiting to see where each other went, neither coach willing to give.

So I guess according to the rule cited it would be a technical foul under R10-3-6(a)- "delay the game by preventing the ball from being made live promptly...". (Thanks Jurassic).

If I understand that much, I guess my next question would be on which team, and should the "Ts" been given to specific players (if so which ones) or to the benches. And if a double T would be in order would that nullify the upcoming free throw and go to the arrow (like the official did)

In this situation accessing a T to the Coach A's big center would have been huge (because she already received one earlier in the game), she would have been ejected, right?

In this situation, the way the ref handled it really gave the advantage to the team with the arrow. But I guess, by the arrow's definition, that really isn't a very big deal.

BTW - thanks for the quick responses. I figured it would take longer so I gave it a day, I come back and the thread is pushed down pretty far. I guess I really didn't pay too much attention at first, but this board stays pretty active.

Another thing that came up in the same game...Is a bench (players not coaches) yelling at a opponent while the player is shooting free throws a T for unsportsmanlike behavior? The other team was doing this, and after the game our coach said it should have been, but sometimes he can be one of those "create your own rule book" kind of coaches. I was just wondering if he was on the money this time.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by grizwald

1) If I understand that much, I guess my next question would be on which team, and should the "Ts" been given to specific players (if so which ones) or to the benches.

2) And if a double T would be in order would that nullify the upcoming free throw and go to the arrow (like the official did)

3) Is a bench (players not coaches) yelling at a opponent while the player is shooting free throws a T for unsportsmanlike behavior?

1) The players that were walking back and forth across to the lane, and ignored the official telling them to stop, would be issued with technical fouls. Two "T" and you're done. The technical fouls also each get charged against the seven needed to get to the one and bonus.

2) On a double technical foul, you don't shoot the free throws and you return to the "Point of "Interruption". In this case, the point of interruption would be the foul shot-- so that's where you resume play. Iow, no, the upcoming original free throw is not nullified.

3) Opponents are not allowed to disconcert the free-throw shooter by yelling at them or trying to distract them. It is a violation, with the penalty being to re-shoot the free throw if was missed. If the free throw-was made, you ignore the disconcertion. This rule also applies to all opponents in their bench area. If the yapping from the bench area was also persistent or unsporting, you could issue a technical foul along with the disconcertion violation. The player on the bench yapping would be charged with a "T". If the official can't identify an individual player, then the official can charge it to that team. If you do have to issue an unsporting "T", the head coach will also get charged with an indirect "T". That means he can forget about coaching from his feet for the rest of the night. He's sitting.


[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Dec 7th, 2005 at 07:24 PM]

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee
2) On a double technical foul, you don't shoot the free throws and you return to the "Point of "Interruption". In this case, the point of interruption would be the foul shot-- so that's where you resume play. Iow, no, the upcoming original free throw is not nullified.

But this rule changed this year, so it's understandbable if the ref got it wrong. Not okay, but understandable. It's an interesting question, though. Assuming the T's cancel out, you administer T's to each player, dq the one with two of them, if you T's the coaches give them their seat belts, and then....

POI is back on the line shooting free throws! If anyone tries to switch sides now.....!!!!!

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by rainmaker

But this rule changed this year, so it's understandbable if the ref got it wrong. Not okay, but understandable. It's an interesting question, though. Assuming the T's cancel out, you administer T's to each player, dq the one with two of them, if you T's the coaches give them their seat belts, and then....

POI is back on the line shooting free throws! If anyone tries to switch sides now.....!!!!!

If it's the same players, give 'em another "T" and unload 'em. If it's different players, treat them the same as the original ones--- a "don't do dat" followed by a "T".