Player Down - Rule and Your Philosophy
 

When a player goes down and appears to be injured no matter how severe it may or may not be ... what do you do?

I know there is a proper procedure to follow and I know everyone has their own philosophy here (right or wrong, but we know everyone sees and applies differently).

What is your take on a player down?

I can tell you that in our local kids rec league, we have an inviolate rule - if a player appears to be hurt, we immediately stop play and take care of the player - no exceptions and the game situation is irrelevant. We drill the following into everyone - officials, coaches and players alike - "Player safety is rule number one".

If the player is in a position where he's in danger of further injury or if the injury is obviously severe, we kill the play.

If the play is transistioning to the other end, the T stops and stays with the player. That tells everyone, "We see him." As soon as team control ends or the offense stops pushing the ball, we kill the play.

*We* do not know that. ;)
[See BktBallRef procedure.]

Safety First ...
 

BktBallRef: Well said. Rookies take note.

Also, regarding "team control ends", that means as soon as the shot is attempted, the official blows the whistle, while the shot is in the air. If the attempt misses, we go to the arrow, if the attempt is successful, the other team gets the ball, and is allowed to run the endline.

I agree with BktBallRef's process when a player goes down.

However, I believe that BillyMac's procedure that read, "Also, regarding "team control ends", that means as soon as the shot is attempted, the official blows the whistle, while the shot is in the air. If the attempt misses, we go to the arrow, if the attempt is successful, the other team gets the ball, and is allowed to run the endline" is incorrect.

Think about this situation: A1 goes down with a possible injury and Team B quickly transitions to a two on none break. B1 misses the lay up and B2 follows up and scores. I would never blow that play dead after B1's miss and go to the arrow. It wouldn't be fair.

If we actually followed that procedure quoted above, there would be no reason why a player wouldn't "fake" an injury every time down the court. There would always be a chance that the team who had numbers would miss their shot attempt and that the arrow was pointing in favor of the "injured" player's team.

You might not think that it's fair but it IS the rule.

<u><b>NFHS rule 5-8-2NOTE:</b></u> <i>When a player is injured in Art. 2(a), the official may suspend play after the ball is dead or is in control of the injured player's team or when <b><font color = red>the opponents complete a play. A play is completed when a team loses control (including throwing for goal)</font></b> or withholds the ball from play by ceasing to attempt to score or advance the ball to a scoring position. When necessary to protect an injured player, the official may immediately suspend play.</i>

Billy's advice was to follow the existing rules, as cited above. Your advice is to make up your own rules. Methinks the wise thing to do is to go with Billy.

I agree with TGR and will not kill the play if there's a 2 on none play. NO WAY!

If it's 2 on none, he shouldn't miss the layup, should he? :)

Along the lines of "fair solution, but not by the book" I have seen the opposing coach ask for a timeout in this situation which is granted by the official, but then reported as an official timeout. I suppose the timeout request could be considered to be the completion of the play, which makes it all good.

How do you explain ignoring the rule afterward? Or isn't that a consideration?

I do not like the Red part. I think it is stoopid.
I think the rule could stand without that tripe.

If the ball is in flight [with 5-on-4] and with the injured player out of harm's way, I would like to see play continue until it changes direction or until the ball backs away from the basket.

I do not like letting coaches call timeouts either. I think that rule is stoopid.

Unfortunately, what rules I personally like or dislike means diddly-squat when I put a whistle in my mouth.

That was my point, Mick.

You don't have to defend someone else's rules to me, JR. :)

Fixed it for ya'.

Senor Quixote strikes again.

With the citation of the NFHS rule by Jurrasic, I will have to agree with BiilyMac (even though it seems unfair).

Just for everyone's information, the NCAA Men's rule does read differently:
Rule 5 Section 10 Art. 7: Suspends play after the ball is dead or controlled by the injured player's team or when the opponents complete a play after a player is injured.
a. A play shall be completed when a team withholds the ball from play by ceasing to attempt to score or advance the ball to a scoring position.

Based on this citation, as long as the team continues to try to score, play is not suspended for injury. (Seems much more fair).

JR: you've been officiating long enough to know that you don't have to explain everything....it's just common sense.

Yabut...I've also been answering complaints about officials long enough to know what I can get away with also. And lying is never a part of that explanation.

If your personal "common sense" happens to go directly against a plainly written rule, how then am I, say as your supervisor, going to be able to explain away your "common sense" when I get one of those irate post-game phone calls or e-mails? Do you really think that a league is going to accept an explanation that it was OK for an official to ignore that plainly written rule because he didn't think it was "fair"?

If the official cannot exercise good judgment, then YOU, as the SUPERVISOR, should not permit that official to officiate a basketball game -PERIOD! Rules are black and white, but officiating isn't. I don't think anyone of us here can truly say they have followed every single rules in the rulebook. Just think of the last time you exercise your personal "common sense" to pass up on a 3-sec violation.

This is the only fair solution. If the offensive team were allowed to continuously attempt shots they would be gaining a huge advantage from the other team's injured player. The way the rule is set up it allows the offense to attempt a shot they probably would have got if no player were injured and does not penalize the defensive team by not having 5 players available to rebound.

Depends on the situation: if A team makes no attempt to run back on defense and B1 misses and B2 follows up and score, I'm going to hold my whistle. Again, it is a 2 on none situation. It would not be the same had it been a 5 on 4 situation. If it's a 5-4 situation, once I recognize the team in control isn't attacking the basket, I'll blow the play dead immediately to check on the injured player.

I've seen and witness coaches run out on the floor without being "PROPERLY BECKON" onto the court. Would you guys administer a technical foul to the head coach? What about a parent from the stand to check on his/her son/daughter?

Some officiating <b>IS</b> black and white. From this thread, it is very obvious that there are officials that don't understand that. You are completely right though in saying that I sureashell would hesitate to use that type of official in any meaningful game.

In NFHS Rules, one would have to apply the rule properly, which means that the official would have to blow the play dead as soon as the shot attempt misses.

Trying to beat a dead horse, I believe that the NCAA Men's Rule cited earlier is a better way of handling this situation. Perhaps this will be one of the differences in the rules that NFHS and NCAA will one day place in alignment.

Doesn't the rule say the official MAY blow the play dead when... and then list different options? If you don't think it's fair to blow it dead in a 2-on-none, then choose one of the other options, e.g. the ball is dead.

Team Contol Ends When ...
 

Almost. Team contol ends when the shot is attempted, not when it misses. As soon as the shot is attempted, the official blows the whistle, while the shot is in the air. If the attempt misses, we go to the arrow, if the attempt is successful, the other team gets the ball, and is allowed to run the endline.

NOTE: When a player is injured as in Art. 2(a), the official may suspend play after the ball is dead or is in control of the injured player's team or when the opponents complete a play. A play is completed when a team loses control (including throwing for goal) or withholds the ball from play by ceasing to attempt to score or advance the ball to a scoring position. When necessary to protect an injured player, the official may immediately suspend play.

You are correct....it says may, not shall. So, that means the official has a choice. The official may kill the play at any of the listed times.