When it's 66-27....

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Rich:

I agree that the HC has the ultimate responsibility to ensure that his team has only five players on the court BUT the game officials admitted that because the game was a blowout they did not do their job as officials before putting the ball into play.

When the ball is going to be put back into play after the clock has been stopped for some reason there is NO excuse for a team to have more that five players on the court when the ball is placed at the disposal of the thrower or free thrower unless that player decides to enter the court of his/her own volition. Just because the game is a blowout is NO excuse for the officials to get sloppy and lackadaisical because they want to get the game over quickly.

I have had TF’s for six players on the court, but NEVER (with apologies to the late J. Dallas Shirley) because I didn’t make sure that each team only had five players on the court before I or my partner(s) allowed the ball to be put back into play. If the non-administering official is not ready and his partner(s) put the ball into play, he should immediately sound his whistle and make sure everything is to his satisfaction. For an officiating crew to penalize a team because the officiating crew did not do its job because they just wanted the game to be over is unconscionable.

MTD, Sr.

Unconscionable? Lighten up, Francis.

It's too bad that a team can't count to five. While preventive officiating dictates we don't start with 6 on the floor, after a time out there simply is no excuse for the team to have too many players on the court.

I've already beaten myself up over this (10 seconds) as much as necessary. Off to get dressed for another game. Another boys game and I hope it's a good one as it would make 2 in a row.