Improper inbound revisited with new info

[Mark Padgett]

The members insert in the April Referee Magazine addresses the issue of a team not taking the ball OOB after a basket and starting down court with the ball.

I know we have gone over this ad nauseum before, but their interpretation is kind of interesting (to me, anyway).

They actually give three different rulings, claiming there is no specific rule in NF to cover this. Here are their three with their comments (not mine) in ():

1) delay of game technical (most severe)
2) throw-in violation for being inbounds before releasing the throw-in (somewhat more reasonable)
3) the official could whistle the ball dead immediately and award the ball back to team A for a throw-in (probably the most prudent, especially in youth ball)

They then say, "It's not often you get options, but any of those can work." Then they quote NF rules 10.1.5b and 9.2.2.

Well, 10.1.5b is the delay technical rule and 9.2.2 is the failure to pass the ball directly into the court rule but not the "5 seconds" rule.

Hey - I've got an idea! How about 4.41.3 - the throw-in and the throw-in count begin when the ball is at the disposal of a player and the team entitled to it plus 9.2.4 - the thrower shall not consume five seconds from the time the throw-in starts until the ball is released on a pass directly into the court. However, the counter to my argument is that the "thrower" -as mentioned in 9.2.4 - is the player who attempts to make a throw-in and to enforce 9.2.4, you must have a thrower.

Even though it's not perfect, I still think you count off 5 seconds and call the violation. Ask yourself this, isn't that the least arguable and the most defensible under the rules?