bench player grabs a live ball...

[jmkbball]

With your sit, I would try not to give the bench player a T unless I felt he was trying to deliberately disrupt the play.

In a televised game earlier this season involving Kansas, a ball being dribbled by a player (attempting to drive around a defender) came in contact with an OOB player's foot as that player was on the sideline moving to check in. At the time, the ball was in play and near the line, but it went out of bounds after hitting the OOB player's foot.

The officials met and gave the ball back to the offensive team even though their player was the last player on the court to touch it inbounds.

I guess I'm saying that situations offered on this forum are sometimes viewed in black and white terms and good officiating often involves the ability to see the areas of gray. If you felt the kid intentionally tried to disrupt the play or did something similar previously, he may deserve a T. If he was simply being a kid playing a basketball -- not really paying attention or being just reflexive, find a way to play on.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by jmkbball

I guess I'm saying that situations offered on this forum are sometimes viewed in black and white terms and good officiating often involves the ability to see the areas of gray. If you felt the kid intentionally tried to disrupt the play or did something similar previously, he may deserve a T. If he was simply being a kid playing a basketball -- not really paying attention or being just reflexive, find a way to play on.

You're also saying that now every person on both benches can reach in-bounds and touch a ball that wan't going out of bounds any time that they feel like it, and that's fine with you. Unless you're a mind-reader, I don't know how you can really determine "intent".

Well, that'll slow down some fast breaks, for sure. I think that a smart coach might even start working on that one on practise.

Good luck with that.....