6 players on the court

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by teachingball

Is it the referee's responsibility to know how many players are on the court after timeouts or substitutions?

I'm not a referee, but I would think (1st problem) that the team committing the violation should not benefit from anything during that play.

Advantage/Disadvantage. Who gained an advantage while commitiing a violation of the rules. It shouldn't matter when the violation was recognized, anybody can see that having 6 players on the floor during a play is against the rules and therefore, the team violating the rule should not benefit in any way. If a ref notices after a team has scored, it's not rocket science, they had an illegal advantage. All the players are right in front of the officials. I could understand if there were players lingering around the bench area. Just because the ref's did not recognize (or just ignored) it until after the made basket shouldn't give them an out. There should be a correctable solution that does not give the violating team an advantage.


I understand the ruling, I just don't agree with it.

Imagine for a moment that play had continued for 3-4 minutes since the last whistle at which time the 6th player was discovered. (Sure it's a stretch, but imagine it for the purpose of demonstration). In that time, each team scores several baskets. For which, if any, of the baskets was the extra player in the game? All of them, 3 of them, none of them?? If you know is was more than 0, you would hav blown the whistle at that time. You can't assume they were there...they may not have been. They may have come onto the court after the last basket.

[teachingball]

Different situation. First, I'd do some drug testing of both coaching staff's, I have never been involved with a too many players on the court situation that would last more than 1 play. Either coach is yelling "too many players" or the other is telling their player to get off the court. Stretch? Too extreme of an example.

[just another ref]

I'll try one more time. The officials did not realize the team had 6 on the floor when the basket was made, or they would have made the call before the basket was made. When a team has 6 players on the court, it is not always because too many came out after the timeout. A1 looks up from the bench and mistakenly counts 4 players. He realizes (incorrectly) that he should be in the game. He jumps up and runs onto the floor. Officials should make a habit of counting the number of players after the timeout, but, like anything else, this can be overlooked or a mistake can be made. When the official does see 6 on the floor, he will have no way of knowing when the extra player appeared.

[teachingball]

Wow, sorry Ref.

I thought it was already established that I understand the ruling, I just don't agree with it, and I was just pointing out, what I feel is a rule that doesn't seem right. Doesn't make sense. You don't see my point?

I'm no longer asking the original question, but discussing the topic.

[just another ref]

Okay, I see your point. My point is you have not suggested an alternative to the rule as written.