Misinformation?
 

I recently received information from a fellow official that a new rule was added this year which states that, following a basket by (A), a timeout cannot be granted to (A) after (B) is in possession of the ball prior to the throw-in. I have not found any rule or case that references this situation.

This is the NFHS ruling from this year's Rules Interpretations:

SITUATION 9: With less than one minute to play in the fourth quarter, Team A scores a field goal to tie the game. B1, standing under the basket after the score, secures the ball and begins heading to the end line for the ensuing throw-in. A1 requests and is granted a time-out. RULING: Legal procedure. Team A may request and be granted a time-out until the ensuing throw-in begins. The throw-in does not begin until B1 has the ball at his/her disposal and the official has begun the five-second count.

You have to also allow for a little "lag time" between the time the coach (or player) asks for the TO and when it is granted. It may take a second or two to make sure you have a valid TO request from the proper person! So in effect the player could have the ball OB and be passing it and the whistle blow, with the request coming before the ball was even out of bounds. Something to think about!

:cool:

We were told in our rules interpretation meeting that the best measure of this is whether or not you have started your 5 count. If you have, then you believe the thrower has the ball at his/her disposal and has begun the throw-in process. At that point, there can be no timeout called by the opponent.

DKaiser what about the situation where no one goes to inbound the ball for a few seconds and you have to start your count before the team even realizes that they have to inbound the ball.

Last night we were told to grant it up until the time you started your count. What have other interperters told you?

You can't (properly) be told anything else. The count starts when teh ball is at B's disposal. A can be granted a TO if the request is made before the ball is at B's disposal. The two events(start / stop) happen at teh exact same time.

i disagree with this -- because like i said before what if you start your count and A has not gathered the ball for the throw in because lets say they were not paying attention or are just wasting time.

I would still grant a timeout if they wanted to award team A with a new count thats on them. I would only not grant the timeout if team A actually had the ball as was on their way to inbounds.

You can disagree, but you are completely wrong. The ball is dead from the time the basket is made until it is at the new offensive team's disposal -- when it is live. The opposing team can not call a time out when the ball is live and is at the other team's disposal (5-8-3). Having physical possession of the ball is not a requirement for "at the disposal of a player." (4-4-7c & d spell it out.)

You cannot make up the rules because you don't like them. The only judgment you have to make is at what point the ball is at the new team's disposal. As this year's new interpretation makes clear, taking possession of the ball after it goes through the net does not equal "at disposal." All the other posters have stated it correctly -- once you start a count, it is too late for the scoring team to legally be granted a time out.

Completely wrong. Same as your opinion on enforcing the coaching box.

But you are young, so there is still the possibility that someday you will learn to follow the rules and not just do as you wish.

Thank you for your input. Your responses have made the situation perfectly clear.

This is also a "game awareness" issue. If it is close, both officials will be prepared for the time out call and be shooting a look at the coach out of the corner of their eye before beginning the count.