Correctable error
 

Team A winning 62-59,3.3 secs left in game. After a time out,A1 inbounds from the backcourt,throws long into the frontcourt,ball touched/stolen by B2,clock chopped with 1.3 secs....horn sounds. Game over? The timekeeper mistakenly started the clock early on A1's throw in. Is this a correctable error?

It's not a "correctable error" in NFHS basketball jargon, but it is an obvious timing mistake which can be fixed by the referee with definite knowledge.

The only way that the R can fix this error is if an official was actually looking at the game clock when B2 first touched the ball. I can't see how or why any floor official would start an official's count when the ball left the thrower's hands.

What confuses me is "clock chopped with 1.3 seconds". Officials "chop" clocks: timers start the clock on the "chop". It doesn't really matter though if the clock was started early on the throw-in. Moot point

If I'm reading this correctly, B1 first touched the ball with 1.3 seconds on the clock and </b>hopefully</b> B1 had possession when the horn went. If so, and an official <b>was</b> looking at the game clock and saw 1.3 on it at the first touching, then the R could give team B the ball at the closest spot and put 2 seconds back on the clock.

The problem is whatthehell do you do if B1 touched the ball with 1.3 on the clock and the ball was loose when the horn went off? An AP at the closest spot sounds right, but I can't see where that ruling is definitively correct under R4-36 or R6-4 either. This might be another one that ain't definitively covered. Nowayinhell am I gonna give the ball back to A for a do-over throw-in though.

Of course, if the R <b>doesn't</b> have definite knowledge, it's game over.

Interesting situation.

Sounds like something that could have been taken care of during the time out...get with the timekeeper and let him/her know who will be chopping the clock and to wait until the clock is chopped.

We've all been in the close games, down to the wire. I've been with crews that spend most of their time inquiring as to how many time outs are left instead of anticipating the play and preparing the crew accordingly. Just as with a proper pre-game, anticipate and prepare.

This doesn't help once the error has been made. I posted a similar scenario earlier this spring concerning an AAU game I had and no one came up with a definitive answer back then either.

Still, even through all your effort, some timekeeper, somewhere, will mess it up.

Correctable Error
 

[QUOTE=Jurassic Referee]The only way that the R can fix this error is if an official was actually looking at the game clock when B2 first touched the ball. I can't see how or why any floor official would start an official's count when the ball left the thrower's hands.

What confuses me is "clock chopped with 1.3 seconds". Officials "chop" clocks: timers start the clock on the "chop". It doesn't really matter though if the clock was started early on the throw-in. Moot point

If I'm reading this correctly, B1 first touched the ball with 1.3 seconds on the clock and </b>hopefully</b> B1 had possession when the horn went. If so, and an official <b>was</b> looking at the game clock and saw 1.3 on it at the first touching, then the R could give team B the ball at the closest spot and put 2 seconds back on the clock.

The problem is whatthehell do you do if B1 touched the ball with 1.3 on the clock and the ball was loose when the horn went off? An AP at the closest spot sounds right, but I can't see where that ruling is definitively correct under R4-36 or R6-4 either. This might be another one that ain't definitively covered. Nowayinhell am I gonna give the ball back to A for a do-over throw-in though.

Of course, if the R <b>doesn't</b> have definite knowledge, it's game over.

Interesting situation.

[ It was a city league game with one official and one timer/scorekeeper. I gave the ball to team B,closest spot with two secs put back on the clock.Team B attempts to in bound the ball and calls a time out without having one,a technical...essentially game over Thanks for feedback]