10 Second Rule

[JoeyMac323]

Hey everyone,

I was refereeing a 8th grade CYO game today, when the team who was bringing the ball up the court had used about 9.5 seconds of the 10 seconds they get to cross half court. This is when their coach calls timeout. My partner comes up to me - surprised I let them have the timeout before the 10 seconds was up - then says, "Okay I've got them at 9.5 seconds, they have half a second left." My understanding of the rule is when the timeout is called; the time to get the ball across half court is reset. We ended up getting in a huge argument over it after I said if we aren't sure, we should at least get it right by checking the rule book. My partner also was upset after the coach of one of the teams said he is currently a high school referee, and the time allowed to go across half court is in fact reset after a timeout (this is the same coach who called timeout). My partner also threatened to walk out on the game... very immature (he is about 60, I'm 18 - this is my 5th year though). Also, I happen to be the designated 'head ref' of the gym, and he was simply filling in. He was even more heated after I explained to him it should be my decision, right or wrong, due to my status as head referee.

By the way, we use the NFHS rule book. After searching through the rules book it only mentioned something about how the team in control of the ball has 10 continuous seconds to have the ball cross half court. My interpretation is a timeout in the middle of the 10 second count makes the count not continuous. What is everyone else's take?

Sorry for the venting, just letting it out. Thanks in advance for your replies.

[JRutledge]

The team gets a new 10 seconds. You will not find any mention in the rules, because there is not such rule that keeps the count still for a timeout being called. That was a rule about 20+ years ago (I am sure JR will clarify), but not anymore.

Peace

[ref18]

10 second count is re-set when a team gains control, i.e. after a throw in.

The count would be re-set in this situation.


If he was my partner I would've let him walk.

Now on another note, in a game, the only status that matters is referee/umpire. The fact that you're head referee of the gym means nothing. The referee's job is to toss up the ball and to rule on things not covered in the book. Now aside from that both officials are on equal footing.

Just out of curiosity, who was responsible for the 10-second count in that play? (i.e. who was the trail?)

[Kelvin green]

NBA uses a hard 10 second count-That's where a lot of people get confused

[JoeyMac323]

Originally posted by ref18
10 second count is re-set when a team gains control, i.e. after a throw in.

The count would be re-set in this situation.


If he was my partner I would've let him walk.

Now on another note, in a game, the only status that matters is referee/umpire. The fact that you're head referee of the gym means nothing. The referee's job is to toss up the ball and to rule on things not covered in the book. Now aside from that both officials are on equal footing.

Just out of curiosity, who was responsible for the 10-second count in that play? (i.e. who was the trail?)

Thanks for the response. Good point on the part about head referee comment I made. I agree with you, it does mean nothing.

In this game I happened to be the referee, and my partner was the umpire. On the play, I was the lead official, and he was the trail. That is why he was telling me 9.5 seconds had gone by on the 10 second half court count.

Since this "rule" isn�t word for word in the rule book, is my interpretation about there bring a continuous 10 seconds for there to be a violation correct: any stoppage of play whatsoever restarts the 10 second back court count?

(On a side note� Worst case scenario if I have this partner again: Team A gets across half court in 7 seconds. They have the ball in the key, but on a pass the ball is deflected OOB. On the ensuing inbound, they pass the ball in to one of their players in the backcourt. According to my partner's interpretation they would have 3 seconds. I can just imagine him trying to explain the 10 second violation call to the uproar...)

[ref18]

Talk to the Referee-in-Chief, or whomever is in charge of the officiating for this particular league.

Tell them what happened, what the rule was and hopefully if they have any sense they will talk to the guy about it.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Kelvin green
NBA uses a hard 10 second count-That's where a lot of people get confused

Really? Are you sure about that?

[ref18]

Originally posted by Kelvin green
NBA uses a hard 10 second count-That's where a lot of people get confused

Last time i checked the NBA doesn't have a 10 second count

[BktBallRef]

Gotta be faster than that, ref18!

[Kelvin green]

Originally posted by ref18

Last time i checked the NBA doesn't have a 10 second count

Youre right its eight but it is a hard count. when shot clock hits 16 it is a violation if ball is still in BC. (The NBA also allows to stop count when ball crosses mid court in the air)

[ref18]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
Gotta be faster than that, ref18!

Too bad this forum doesn't show the exact second in which a post was made

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by JRutledge
The team gets a new 10 seconds. You will not find any mention in the rules, because there is not such rule that keeps the count still for a timeout being called. That was a rule about 20+ years ago (I am sure JR will clarify), but not anymore.

There never was a rule that kept the count at the same time as when a TO was called in the backcourt. The team with the ball always got a new 10-second count- as long as I can remember- same as it is now. The old rule from about 30-35 years ago wouldn't let us grant a TO request if a violation was "pending". By a "pending violation", they meant that a team was 80% into an official's count when they asked for a TO- i.e.- at 8 seconds of a 10-second backcourt count, at 4 seconds of a 5 second throw-in count, etc. If they asked for a TO at that time, we were supposed to ignore the request and just keep the count going- and call the violation as soon as the count was up.

[Nevadaref]

Joey, there is a specific case book play on this, which states that the team gets another 10 seconds. Get a copy of this and show it to your "partner" and/or make your assignor aware of the problem and have him quote it to your "partner."

2005-06 NFHS Case Book page 69:
9.8 Situation C: After A1 has dribbled for nine seconds in A's backcourt: (a) A1 requests a time-out; or (b) B1 deflects the ball out of bounds. RULING: In both (a) and (b), Team A will have 10 seconds to advance the ball to frontcourt following the throw-in if a player of Team A gains control in A's backcourt.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by ref18
The referee's job is to toss up the ball and to rule on things not covered in the book. Now aside from that both officials are on equal footing.

Since I wasn't online last night at 11:20, I didn't get to ask Kelvin if he was sure about his post.

So I'll ask you instead. Are you sure about what you typed above?

[Nevadaref]

I'll say that he should check out 2-5!

There is more to being the referee than tossing the ball.