Player down play continues!

[Loudwhistle]

BV game last night, during a rebound at visitors basket,visitor team member goes down on the floor during rebound and stays down in the Buddist praying position, (head almost touching floor, on knees, hands holding head) as home takes off down the floor on a fastbreak, he went down on the left side of the court and the rebound came to the home team on the right side, I stay with the down player while the game continues (3 man reffing) and the coach is chewing my arse to stop the play for an injured player. After about 5 seconds the player I'm shadowing stands up and we start walking down court where the ball is still being played, he's still holding his head with his hands over his face, just as we arrive at halfcourt he drops his hands and I see blood by his nose. (I look at play and the ball is out at the top of the key being passed around) I whistle play dead and then turn to his coach and say "coach he's bleeding" Player is subbed out. A question I have from this incident is 1. if I would have seen blood right away when the player was kneeling on the floor even though all the other players were at the opposite end of the court should I have stopped play immediately, or stopped play when I figured that the blood could "get" on another player? 2. Another question that I have is what if the player was totally knocked out? Do I stop play immediatley due to the fast break developing?

I believe it is somewhere in the Rule but not sure. However, I've always been told and done things this way. If player is severly injured blow it dead right away. I would consider being knocked out severe. If player is in danger of being injured further or another player is in danger of being injured because of location of first injured player, blow it dead. If injured player is out of harms way wait until play has stopped then blow it dead.

[grunewar]

As you described the situation, it sounds like you did very well IMO. Each one of these cases is a bit different. Rule of thumb is NOT to stop the play (and you didn't) if the player is not in "harms way" and he wasn't. Halt game on first stoppage or when his team gets ball.

Now, if there had been lots of jumping all around him and he or others could have gotten hurt - blow it dead!

Ignore the coach - he is viewing the situation with his heart - not by the book.

Blood is a different matter, but it it's not "a gushin" - hey, it happens. Doesn't seem like he'd get it on anybody -- again, wait for first natural stoppage.

[Gimlet25id]

It really depends on the extent of the injury. If I seen a small amount of blood on a "B" player who is down on the floor while the "A" team is on a fast break I'm not killing anything until the "A" team stops ADVANCING the ball.

Once they stop advancing the ball to the basket then I'm killing the play. If the player is out cold and you know it, then you better stop play RIGHT AWAY. If you don't then you could have a liability issue with the injury.

[RookieDude]

Me?

Doesn't sound like a fast break was happening...I would have stopped the game and got the kid a sub.

Certainly don't allow the injured player, who's holding his head, to have to wait very long to get him out of the game.(ankle injury may be different say during a fast break for the other team)

If he's bleeding, stop the game pretty quick...it takes to long to clean up every spot of blood on the court.

Better to error on the side of caution, when a player's health is concerned...IMO.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Loudwhistle

2. Another question that I have is what if the player was totally knocked out? Do I stop play immediatley due to the fast break developing?

5-8-2 NOTE

[bgtg19]

I think you did well with what happened. We are asked to make judgments all the time, circumstances like you describe certainly among them. If a kid is "knocked out," stop play immediately no matter what the other team is doing. If there is any neck or other serious injury, stop play immediately. I have yet to confront an opposing coach who did not graciously accept and understand a "Coach, I thought the player was seriously injured and I'd do the same for one of your players" explanation, even when it might have taken away a fast break opportunity.

The health and safety of the student-athletes must be placed in front of any competitive concerns.

[Ref in PA]

If the other team has an immediate scoring chance, I would withold the whistle if I felt the injury was not serious. If the other team is setting up their offense, passing the ball around, walking the ball up the court, etc. blow the play dead and determine whether or not you want to beckon a coach/trainer on to the court.

As said above, if I felt the player was seriously injured or in danger of being injured further or in danger of injuring other players I would blow the play dead immediately.

In any event, as the trail I would stay with the player who is down until the play is blown dead per the guidelines above.