Rule 7-6 art. 4 musings
 

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.

I'll get back to this rule eventually.

I was watching a Varsity girls game this weekend and A2,3,4,5 lined up perpendicular to the boundary line but with enough space that B team wedged in between them. A team then began the usual pushing and jostling to keep B out. Official then came running in and reninstated B players to original position, A coach whined and Official basically told him to stuff it.

After game, I was in locker room and they were reviewing the situation.

You could call a dead ball foul if warranted, I feel it's always easier to stop and clean things up. Thoughts on the handling of this particular scenario

Secondly, pertaining to above rule which I erroneously told the crew that they can't line up parallel period, three feet from boundary, forgetting the operative word IF the other team want's 'in'

Do you then let everyone rearrange themselves? Thoughts?

Clinicians have also told me that with rough play ready to percolate prior to inbounding, put the ball at the inbounder's disposal as quickly as reasonably possible.

Whoever gets there first gets the spot. The rule you quoted does not apply to this situation. However, once the defenders have legally occupied the spots, they cannot be pushed out.

I do not agree with that. Stop bad action anytime you can during a dead ball. There is no hurry to do anything and take your time. If everyone sees you standing near players and not putting in the ball, it puts everyone on notice that you are watching them. Then when they do something stupid, you can put air in the whistle and it is hard for a coach to say you did not see what was taking place.


I would completely disagree with those clinicians. There is no hurry to put the ball in play. And if a player is going to be so stupid to do something when the ball is clearly dead, then so be it. But try your best to tell players to knock it off when appropriate. Sometimes you just have to put them on notice that you are actually watching them doing the dumb stuff.

Peace

He's talking about a throw-in, not a FT.

Precisely, that's why I said I'll get back to this rule eventually.

Parallel =/= Perpendicular.

The NCAA Rule does allow teammates to line up perpendicularly. NFHS isn't explicit, but since they did not line up parallel, I'd be inclined not to let B wedge in.

Stat man, I would think that since they lined up perpindicular that that would be the time you would NOT let them "wedge" in. I agree with BBR above however, if they didn't "wedge" in and got there then they can't be pushed out.."wedging in" implies to me, more force than is necessary

I wish you were my High School geometry teacher, I could have faked a better grade. Perpendicular is a right angle to, in this case, the boundary line.

Parallel is equal distance between lines.

You're wrong about B. They are entitled to that space as long as they don't displace A. Wedge may have been the wrong word. I don't know NCAA rules but I'd bet a shiny new quarter that you're wrong.

Wedge was the wrong word to use, It appeared there was just enough space for them and the counter activity by team A was magnified ten fold.

Any player cannot displace an opponent who has taken a legal position on the court. That's all that you need to know.

True, but if the inbounder's teammates are lined up parallel to the boundary line and within 3 feet of the boundary line, then we're going to tell them to move and let B's players get in that line, correct?

Teammates aren't allowed to have that alignment if the opponents want in, too. Am I mis-reading that?

If the teammates are lined up parallel within 3 feet of a line, then their position isn't legal. So, yes, you tell them to take a legal position <b>if</b> their opponents ask to get in between or you re-set them legally immediately when their opponent(s) try to get in between.

I guess that I should have added that you also have to know how to deal with cases involving non-legal positions on the court.

Ok, right. We're not going to let B's players force their way into the line, but are going to require A's players to make room for them. Got it.