7-6-4
 

Throw in on baseline. Everybody is within 3 feet of the boundary line. A1 and A2 are lined up next to each other and (a) parallel (facing) the boundary line or (b) perpendicular (facing at a 90 degree angle to) the boundary line.

B1 can request to get in between the two A players in situation (a). How about in situation (b)? It seems like B1 should not be allowed in. Anybody disagree?

tha only responds to players lining up parallel not stacked back to front

We had this tonight in a varsity girls game. A2 and A3 line up perpendicular to the baseline. B2 thinks she can push her way in there. I don't get her for the push right away, but she follows it up by pushing someone else after the ball is in. Next throw-in, partner walks over before the ball is put into play and calmly explains to her that if they get that spot first, there's nothing she can do about it.

The wording of the rule is very specific. It refers to the locations of the players in relation to each other and the boundary line. It has nothing to do with how the shoulders of the players are turned or which direction those persons are facing.

The answer is YES, B1 can request to be allowed in between A1 and A2 in both (a) and (b), since the positions of A1 and A2 are adjacent and parallel to the end line.

7-6-4 . . . Teammates shall not occupy adjacent positions which are parallel to and within 3 feet of the boundary line if an opponent desires one of the positions. The 3-foot restraining line is sometimes the temporary boundary line as in 1-2-2.

nevada you read it wrong -- what is the definition of parallel to -- in B players are perpendicular as in they are in a single line stact with the boundary line at the base

parallel is where they are lined up and the shape of their line is parallel to the boundary line -- no shoulder to shoulder or back to front -- so in situation A the answer is YES and in B the answer is NO

I disagree. I think that you are the one who is misunderstanding the questions posed by sj.

Let's look closely at what the OP wrote. For part (a) sj asks about players who are "facing" the boundary line. He also used the word parallel. From that description, I envisioned two players standing shoulder-to-shoulder and both are facing the boundary line. They are NOT standing one in front of the other. We agree on the ruling for this alignment.

Then, sj immediately asks about two players who are "perpendicular (facing at a 90 degree angle to) the boundary line."
In this context it seems that his meaning is that the spot on the floor for each player has not changed. Each player has merely altered the direction that he was facing. Both players have turned their bodies 90 degrees and are now facing the sideline.
This is still an alignment for which an opposing player would be entitled to a spot in between them.

I don't believe that he is inquiring about the stack formation in which the players are lined up on behind the other, but if he is then we agree that in that case B1 is NOT entitled to a space between A1 and A2.

There is confusion because of the way the OP described situation B. "perpendicular (facing at a 90 degree angle to) the boundary line" can mean two different things.

Being "perpendicular" requires that the players be next to each other (shoulder to shoulder, face to face, back to back or facing the same direction) and the line that they form by being in this position is at a right angle to the baseline.

"Facing at a 90 degree angle to the boundary line" indicates that the players are turned facing the sideline; however, depending on how they are positioned they may be parallel or perpendicular.

The direction that the players are "facing" has no bearing as to whether or not the line that they form by being next to each other is parallel or perpendicular to the baseline.

Thanks, that was my main point. :)

You have to go by where the players are standing, not what direction they are facing.

yes i agree - i guess i misread how the players were lining up

I can see it may have been described poorly. I think I even confused myself but here's what was meant.

(a) parallel to and facing the line

A3
_______________

A1 A2 ^

with A1 and A2 looking in the direction of the arrow.


(b) Still parallel but facing perpendicular to the line:

A3
_____________

A1 A2 >

with A1 and A2 looking in the direction of the arrow,

Then there's the stack....

A3
_______________

A1
A2

Then only in (c) does the rule not allow for defense to have space in between the A players.