Jump Ball and holding your spots...

[Y2Koach]

Had a discussion with the officials the other day during our 4 team jamboree scrimmage in which each period started with a jumpball at center circle. There was 1 senior official training 5 newbie officials and they rotated in and out each period.

As my team (A) was getting ready for our first scrimmage period, we set up for the jump. Since my team is vertically challenged, I send out my shortest player A1 to jump. A4 and A3 are side-by-side with 2 opposing players along the circle, with A5 back to protect our basket. A2 is told to start circling about 10 feet off of the circle in the direction of where we think the opposing "jumper" will tap the ball.

Senior official tells his newbie official to announce to the players to "hold your spots" prior to tossing the ball up. As the ball is tossed, A2 catches the tap in stride and goes in for an uncontested layup. Whistle. No basket, violation called on A2 moving prior to the toss.

I did not have my rule book with me but I am pretty sure players are allowed to move if they are off of the center circle, 5 ft comes to mind but I dont have a reference and my player was clearly 10ft+ off of the circle.

Anyways, every time we got a new set of officials, we tried this play again and it would work. One time, the officials on the court let the play go and the senior official hit the buzzer and came onto the court to scold the 2 newbies, and had them re-start the period.

I will try to look up the rules regarding the center toss when I get home (Im a coach with the rulebook by my night stand, go figure). Until then, can anyone tell me if I was correct or not in my memory of the rule? Rule reference? Any recommended punishment for me intentionally trying to agravate newbie officials?