3 seconds

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

In practice, most officials seem to lose count during a "loose ball scrum" (and, yes, I know that's an undefined term)

Good observation, and probalby true, maybe for good reason, even it is against the rules. Imagine that Team A is holding, passing, or dribbling the ball, in other words, in team control. The ball is tipped away by a defender, and the ball continues to be tipped back, and forth, like a pinball machine, between both Team A, and Team B, players, maybe for six or seven seconds. All eyes, except those of one of the officials, are watching this "scrum", fans, coaches, players, one official, scorekeeper, timekeeper, police officier, trainer, site director, priest (for Catholic schools), etc., for a possible travel, double dribble, foul, player control foul, out of bounds, held ball, etc., they're all anxiouslly awaiting the call, or noncall, as the ball is being tipped all over the place, when from far away a whistle blows, a hand is thrust into the air, and the other official yells, "three seconds". By rule, that official could, or would, be correct, but he or she, should be ready to take a lot of "heat" from half of the gym's attendance, and possibly, regarding the Team A coach, "Serve him a beverage: tea" © 2008 JugglingReferee

[actuary77]

So just to summarize...

Snaqwells, good point on 3-seconds almost never being called if PC was required (unless someone who has the ball just camps in the lane).

So it seems like even though the rule says that when there is a loose ball, the 3-seconds rule still apply since team control hasn't ended, most people here think that it's against the INTENT of the rule to call that because (a) it doesn't advantage/disadvantage either team and (b) it will look bad. I agree with this to a certain extent.

But taking it further... what if the rule intends to do that, i.e. when there is a loose ball and Team A technically still has control, that no Team A player should be camping out in the lane. Maybe that's what coaches should be teaching and what we should be calling??? Am I completely off base here?

Maybe there needs to be a clarification of the rule, like how they did it for interrupted dribble and kicking recently.