Spot Throw-in
 

Team A throwing the ball in with just over 3 seconds remaining. It is on the baseline but is a spot throw in. B defender playing very agressively on the thrower but not crossing the vertical line in anyway. Ball is thrown away, game over. Coach is going nuts at me about the thrower being given 2 feet to throw the ball in?? What is he talking about. I know the defender can guard the baseline without crossing it. I guess he means I should have told his offensive player that he can back up (plenty of room behind him).

Could somebody pass on some help on spot throw in regarding the thrower and defensive player? Thank you.

If the inbounder has room to move back, the defense may go up to the in bound plane. No room is given, unless the inbounder has no room to move back. Not our job to tell them they can move back.

I was told that as a "good official" I should. I do usually tell about running or not running the baseline. Should I be just as cognizant about telling the inbounder he can move back?

That's why they make coaches, to teach players things like this.

You did nothing wrong.

I have no problem telling them they can run, or it is a spot throw-in, but at some point players and or coaches need to know what they are legally able to do on a throw-in.

Absolutely right. Also, and I'm sure you're already well aware of this, you should get the other four teammates together just to remind them that if they get the ball, they can pass, dribble, shoot, request a time out, or simply hold the ball. Your partner, in the mean time, should be instructing the defense about their options. This is why we make the big bucks!

And that's why they made officials.....so coaches could blame their mistakes on us.

Another Myth Bites The Dust ...
 

A player inbounding the ball may move backward as far as the five-second time limit or space allows. In gymnasiums with limited space outside the sidelines and endlines, a defensive player may be asked to step back no more than three feet.

Players should know this rule without us telling them. The most I'll do to help a player on an endline throwin is to say, "You have the whole line", while pointing down and swinging my arm back and forth parallel to the endline, or, "This is your designated spot", while pointing to the designated spot.

You should have told the player he can move back if he wanted. Along with he only has 5 seconds to throw it in, he can't step inbounds before releasing it, he cannot change throwers on a designated spot throwin but can after a made basket, also inform him of the backcourt exception... blahblabalbalbablabllalh.

Okay, so we've given you the sarcastic replies (most of which are a result of just hearing the coach's remark and were not really aimed at you). I guess we owe you a serious answer.

If I've got a spot throw-in I'm indicating the spot to the thrower, and if there's defensive pressure, especially if it's a "pressure situation", I will often remind the defender not to reach through the boundary. I'll illustrate that point by waving my hand up and down in front of the defender along the plane. That is all preventative officiating; I'm trying to prevent what I can prevent.

Saying anything to the thrower about how he can back up...? That's going beyond preventative officiating and into the realm of coaching. I just got back from an association meeting tonight where the guest speaker was the president of the coaches association. He says it irritates him when officials try to coach players. Don't go there. If the coach is trying to pin the kid's blunder on you and saying you should be coaching his kid for him, you should probably negotiate part of his salary. (Just kidding, another point he made was that coaches hate sarcastic banter from officials).

I had a freshman boys game last year where the thrower, on the end line, actually reached through and pushed the defender back because he couldn't deal with the defensive pressure. The ironic part was that the kid had at least 40 feet he could have moved back. A player's stupidity is not our responsibility.

Good Point
 

Back In The Saddle: Good point. Rookie officials, please make a note of this.

Was this game held outdoors? :confused:

Field Houses
 

In our geographic area, we have a few field houses, with indoor tracks encircling the basketball court, where the inbounder could back up forty feet if he, or she, was quick enough to do it in five seconds.

I always hope that the site directors get ball boys and/or girls in these games, or else I have to stop and catch my breath after running to get a ball that goes this far out of bounds. Usually the players will run and get the ball, but not all the time.

Who is responsible?
 

when a ball goes OB a good distance, is it the officials responsibility to chase it?

Not in my games.

I did get a standing O this year after getting a ball from underneath the bleachers, though. :D