Free Throw Question

[Cornellref]

3 Man HS mechanics - During a free throw, which official has primary responsibility for calling a violation in which the ball fails to hit the rim? Would the lead ever have that duty (i.e. if the ball is an airball/grazes the front)? Consider a situation in which the ball hits the backboard and comes close to hitting/missing - what official would make the call on primary/secondary responsibilties? Also, what is the common practice if different from the rulebook? Thanks for any help in advance.
Josh

[BktBallRef]

The trail would have primary responsibility for this call. The center would have secondary, since his main focus is the players on the lane. The lead should not make the call as he shouldn't be looking at the rim.

[Cornellref]

What about a situation where trail and center miss it, doe the lead have any responsibility?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
The trail would have primary responsibility for this call. The center would have secondary, since his main focus is the players on the lane. The lead should not make the call as he shouldn't be looking at the rim.

I hate to disagree with you, but the C has primary (with emphasis on primary) coverage on this play. Now having said that let me introduce an actual play form a boys' H.S. varsity game that was brought to me during the middle of the season this year.

V1 is on the line shooting the second free throw if a one-and-one with 7.3 seconds left in the game. The Visitors are down by two points. V1 attempts to miss the free throw and does a good job of it. The free throw misses on the T's side of the basket and V2 gets the rebound and immediately puts up a field goal attempt that is successful. But the C sounds her whistle for a free throw violation by V1 for missing the rim. C wipes the points of the board and resets the clock to 7.3 seconds, and the Home team wins the game.

Now it gets good. C is the R in the game and after she showers and leaves, the T is the above play tells the L that he saw the free throw attemp hit the rim. The L in the play brought me the play and asked for my humble opinion.

Yes, the C has primary coverage for this type of play. In a two-man crew this play is a no brainer. The T has to make his/her best judgement when the free throw attempt is missed on the L's side of the rim. But in a three-man crew, the T can help out on this play. The officiating crew in the above play was a young crew and only the L really questioned, after the fact, whether the T could have helped. In the posted play, if the T is 200% sure that the free throw attempt hit the rim, then he has to go to the C and let him/her know.

As to whether the L should be get involved in this play whether it is a two- or three-man crew, my answer is no. The L has enough things to look at without looking where he is not supposed to be looking. I know that we want to get the play correct, but sometimes, no matter how hard we work at it, it just is not going to happen.

[BktBallRef]

I don't disagree with your post. However, we rely on the T to make the call because both the L and the T have lane responsibilities until the ball hits the backboard or rim. The C has to watch both if possible. The T doesn't really have to concern himself with lane violations. yes, he can help out if he sees one but it's not his primary. In the sitch that you described, the T would have gotten the play right, while, by your own admission, the C missed the call. I think the T and C have to work together to get this play right. The most important point is that the L should not make the call.

[APHP]

See Officials Manual Page 78, Section 351: Center Official : Note whether the ball goes through, contacts, or misses the ring.