New Ball

[Brian Watson]

This is from the "you work long enough, you see it all" file.

Last night, about midway through the 1st quarter the home coach tells me the wrong ball got into the game. He says it is brand new and too slick and needs to be changed out since his players cannot hold onto it.

My partner was R, so on the next TO, I ask him if he checked the ball. He did, and I asked if this was the ball he checked, it was. We went into the half and discussed it and decided we would finish the game with the ball we started with. There is no real rule either way, any thoughts? I know you have to change it out if it gets lost or damaged, but what if one team just doesn't like it?

[mick]

Originally posted by Brian Watson
This is from the "you work long enough, you see it all" file.

Last night, about midway through the 1st quarter the home coach tells me the wrong ball got into the game. He says it is brand new and too slick and needs to be changed out since his players cannot hold onto it.

My partner was R, so on the next TO, I ask him if he checked the ball. He did, and I asked if this was the ball he checked, it was. We went into the half and discussed it and decided we would finish the game with the ball we started with. There is no real rule either way, any thoughts? I know you have to change it out if it gets lost or damaged, but what if one team just doesn't like it?

Brian,
Home coach provided the ball, and it bounces. Works for me.

I've changed a ball twice.
Once there was too much air, and a bunch of dribbling violations were occuring... both ways.
Another time, we were using a Boy's ball in a Girl's game.
mick

[Bart Tyson]

If one team asks for a different ball and the other team says OK, then I will give them a different ball.

[daves]

The referee has sole authority as to whether the ball is legal. If R likes it we stay with it. It doesn't matter if the coaches agree to change balls in the middle of the game.

[Air JC]

This thread brings up a thought. I was at a Varsity boys game a couple weeks ago just to watch the game. About a minute into the game at a dead ball, the officials changed the game ball. I talked with them later and they said that they had started the game with a girls ball, and then noticed the mistake and switched the ball. They continuted play from that point. One of the coaches made a fuss that they should restart the game because of the error, but the officials continued on from that point with the proper ball. Setting aside that the referee shouldn't have let this happen, did they do the correct thing by continuing on from that point?

[Bart Tyson]

Yes. This is not a correctible error situation. New ball and play on.

[physicsref]

I see this as similar to 4-5-4 which deals with setting teams up in the wrong direction:

"If by mistake the officials permit a team to go the wrong direction, when discovered all points scored, fouls committed, and time consumed shall count as if each team had gone the proper direction. Play shall resume with each team going the proper direction based on bench location"

I realize this is not the same case, but I use this to say, you can't stop what has already happened. Once the time is off and the points are up, don't go tampering.

[daves]

I agree. Change balls keep playing where you left off.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by mick
Brian,
Home coach provided the ball, and it bounces. Works for me.

I've changed a ball twice.
Once there was too much air, and a bunch of dribbling violations were occuring... both ways.
Another time, we were using a Boy's ball in a Girl's game.
mick

mick,
Carry a valve needle in your pocket and you can always let out a little air prior to the game. Hardly a game goes by that we don't take air out. An over inflated ball can lead to a very rough, physical game.
Tony

[mick]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

mick,
Carry a valve needle in your pocket and you can always let out a little air prior to the game. Hardly a game goes by that we don't take air out. An over inflated ball can lead to a very rough, physical game.
Tony

Thanks, Tony,
Have you ever used those little pumps to go the other way?
mick

[Jerry Baldwin]

I had this very thing happen the other night in the SV boys HS game. Maybe 3 minutes into the game, the home coach, during a dead ball, said the ball was too slick and could we replace the ball. At first I said no, but then with instant recall, I concluded he was right we had had several O of B plays due to the ball slipping out of hands. I told him to pick out a new ball. I then went to the visiting coach explained what was going on and did he have any problem with replacing the ball, which I handed to him to inspect. He agreed, we switched balls, and played the rest of the game. Took maybe 3 minutes to correct the problem. By the way, it didn't help the home team, they lost. Both teams shoot maybe 20% from the field and not much better at the FT line. I'm not sure what I would have done if the visting coach had said no.

[mick]

Originally posted by Jerry Baldwin
...I'm not sure what I would have done if the visting coach had said no.

Jerry,
I wouldn't have changed balls if the visitor did not want to change.
mick

[Mark Padgett]

Before the game, I ask the home coach for a "good" game ball. If I don't like it, I bounce it back at him and say, "Coach - I said 'good'". It usually gets a chuckle.

And - if you've ever seen a howler monkey chuckle, you'll have nightmares for weeks.

[RookieDude]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

mick,
Carry a valve needle in your pocket and you can always let out a little air prior to the game. Hardly a game goes by that we don't take air out. An over inflated ball can lead to a very rough, physical game.
Tony

A couple of times we've had an over inflated ball. We just requested the Home Team get us another ball. There has been a couple of other times we just let um play with the over inflated ball.
I can possibly see more traveling or carrying violations, also the ball bouncing out further from the rim on a shot...but, "lead(ing) to a very rough, physical game"...please explain.

RD

[Rookie]

I had a V coach thrown me a ball that he wanted use, which I have no problem with, but we were in the middle of game. I through it back to him and gave my sternest look I could muster up.