OLD Stalling Rule

[br1975]

Can anyone help me recall how, before the shot clock era, stalling was prevented? I seem to recall some sort of penetration requirement and did hashmarks on the sidelines play a part in this rule?

[Adam]

No shot clock now for most levels of basketball, and stalling is not prevented.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by br1975

I seem to recall some sort of penetration requirement

...fighting...urge...to post picture...

Anyway, at one time there was a "lack of action" warning that had to do with the hash marks on the sideline, about 28' off the endline. I don't remember all the details, but I believe if the offense was behind, the dribbler had to advance the ball past the 28' mark, even if the defense was back playing zone, and the defense had to come out to the dribbler if the defense was behind.

As Snaqs stated, that requirement was lifted, even in rule sets that do not use the shot clock.

[Mark Padgett]

Actually, I remember the exact rule and how it was applied, but I guess I'm not allowed to post it because, according to BktBallRef, all I post are lame jokes and off topic threads (see "Traveling" thread). Sorry - I really wanted to contribute this time. Oh well.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Sorry - I really wanted to contribute this time. Oh well.

And yet, you didn't. You just made another off-topic post. A better response, IMHO, would have been to post the exact rule and how it was administered and then told Bktballref where he could stick his off-topic commentary. Oh well.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Actually, I remember the exact rule and how it was applied, but I guess I'm not allowed to post it because, according to BktBallRef, all I post are lame jokes and off topic threads (see "Traveling" thread). Sorry - I really wanted to contribute this time. Oh well.

the lame stuff you posts are jokes?

[26 Year Gap]

Thought for sure we'd see a Larry Craig reference....

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Actually, I remember the exact rule and how it was applied, but I guess I'm not allowed to post it because, according to BktBallRef, all I post are lame jokes and off topic threads (see "Traveling" thread). Sorry - I really wanted to contribute this time. Oh well.

Ever hear the story of the boy who cried wolf?

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

...fighting...urge...to post picture...

thanks, now i have to clean the coke off my monitor.

[Adam]

That's what you get for drinking Coke.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

That's what you get for drinking Coke.

You sure it was the kind you drink? JUST KIDDING, DAN.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by br1975

Can anyone help me recall how, before the shot clock era, stalling was prevented? I seem to recall some sort of penetration requirement and did hashmarks on the sidelines play a part in this rule?

There's been several. I think that the one that you're referring to went like this:

- there was a 3-foot line on both sides of the court 28 feet up from the each endline.
- the area from the endline to the 28' mark was called the forecourt; from the 28' line to the center line was called the mid-court.
- If a team was behind in the score, they were responsible for the "action". If the teams were tied, the defense was the team responsible for the action.
- if the offense was responsible for action, they could only hold the ball for 10 seconds at a time in the mid-court area. At that time, the lead official was supposed to come out, point at the offense and holler "play ball". From then on, the offense had 5 seconds to move the ball into the forecourt. If they didn't, it was a team technical foul. Once they did move the ball into the forecourt, they could again move the ball back into the mid-court...but as soon as they moved back into the mid-court, a new 5-second count was again started. Iirc, the first warning(play ball) was good for the whole game.
- if the defense was reponsible for action, as soon as the offense held the ball in the mid-court area for 10 seconds, the lead would again go through the "play ball" routine. At this time though, the defense had to send defender(s) into the mid-court area within 5 seconds or the defense was charged with a team technical foul. If there was more than 1 offensive player in the mid-court area, the defense had to send a minimum of 2 players into that area. Defensive players had to be actively guarding too. That's where the 6-foot closely guarded rule came in. And again, if the ball swung into the forecourt and then back into the mid-court, the defense had to send defenders back into the mid-court area within 5 seconds again.

It was a very convoluted rule that really didn't work worth a damn. The FED got rid of it quickly.

That's how I remember it anyway. There were other versions before and after that.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

There's been several. It was a very convoluted rule that really didn't work worth a damn. The FED got rid of it quickly. That's how I remember it anyway. There were other versions before and after that.

Jurassic Referee: Excellent explanation of the old Lack Of Action Rule. I believe that you nailed it. You indicate that the NFHS got rid of it quickly. When I began officiating back in the early 1980's, the the Lack Of Action rule was already in place, and only lasted a few years, as you indicated. I always thought that the rule had been in place for more than a few years. Do you remember when it started, or when it stopped? I'll take your word for it that there were other versions before the one you so aptly described, but I don't recall any other versions after the one you described was taken out of the rule book.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Jurassic Referee: Excellent explanation of the old Lack Of Action Rule. I believe that you nailed it. You indicate that the NFHS got rid of it quickly. When I began officiating back in the early 1980's, the the Lack Of Action rule was already in place, and only lasted a few years, as you indicated. I always thought that the rule had been in place for more than a few years. Do you remember when it started, or when it stopped? I'll take your word for it that there were other versions before the one you so aptly described, but I don't recall any other versions after the one you described was taken out of the rule book.

I graduated high school in 1991 and the rule was still in place. It was repealed between 1991 and 1994 because our college hosted the AAU state final 4 in 1994 and a team killed off about 5 straight minutes in the 3rd quarter with stalling and I was wondering why the officials weren't enforcing the lack of action rule.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

I graduated high school in 1991 and the rule was still in place. It was repealed between 1991 and 1994 because our college hosted the AAU state final 4 in 1994 and a team killed off about 5 straight minutes in the 3rd quarter with stalling and I was wondering why the officials weren't enforcing the lack of action rule.

So the lack of action rule was probably deleted between 1991-92 and 1996-97.

I'm sure that there are some veteran officials on the Forum who can look through their old Rule Books from 1991-92 through 1996-97 to find out when the lack of action rule was deleted. It's only six years, six books. Help me out.