Strange Play
 

SIT: Team A trailing 60/59, one second left in fourth Q, A1 inbounds to A2 in backcourt, A2 heaves desperation shot from about 75'. Shot leaves hands before buzzer. B1 standing in the lane sees the shot is short of the basket and jumps to grab it. The ball bounces off his hands and into the basket. Time expired before the contact with B1.

The officials confered and ruled the basket good, citing the case play that states that a shot deflected by defense after time expires should be counted.

Did they get this right? I believe the shot ended when the ball fell below the rim and the only other call would have been goaltending if the ball still had a chance to go in.

Please advise.

If A2's try is legally touched after the horn has sounded then the goal is counted. In the case play that they may be referencing, I think it says the try is touched in it's upward flight and the horn sounds, the basket counts. In this case, it appears the try ended when the ball fell below the rim and the basket should not have counted.

What JoeThe Ref said.
Non-applicable 4.41.4 Situation A indicates the score counts if the try did not end.

Applicable 4-41-4 shows the try ended when the ball had no chance of going in on its own.

Thanks for the response. Would your ruling change if the shot was clearly short of the goal, but still above the rim when the contact with B1 occured?

I had the same ruling that you had, and that was not to count the goal. I had the try ending when the ball fell below the goal and it was evident that the throw would be unsuccessful.

Of course, you realize the "shot ended" ruling is based upon judgement ["when it is certain the throw is unsuccessful"]. If the shot is short, long or wide, the height of the ball from the floor is irrelevent.

Reread this....short of the goal and above the rim is still the same call. It couldn't have been goaltending because it has to have a chance to go in for it to be goaltending.

A long time ago in a galaxy far away, before the Rules Committees started writing stupid rules, this play would not have been a problem. Once upon a time, once the field goal attempt left the shooter's hand and then the ball was touched by another player, the attempt ended with the touching by the other player. See how easy this rule was to apply.

MTD, Sr.