Clock reads 0:00

[slow whistle]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I'm pretty sure that the intent of the stated rule was for scoreboards which have control modules that also don't display 10th of a second. Using common sense, if the control module DOES show 10ths of seconds, why wouldn't you use that information? You certainly can use that information to determine whether a catch and shoot is possible. If you don't use that information, then you are not using good common sense.

Like I said I would probably use it, but what happens if you have an operator who is a hair slow in getting the clock started and you are blowing your whistle before the horn goes off? You would be stuck justifying a rule that technically doesn't exist in the situation given. The 3/10ths rule just gives us an automatic out when we have it available, but does that mean that it is absolutely without a doubt impossible to catch and shoot in 3/10ths or less?

Originally Posted by slow whistle

The 3/10ths rule just gives us an automatic out when we have it available, but does that mean that it is absolutely without a doubt impossible to catch and shoot in 3/10ths or less?

By rule, yes...

[slow whistle]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

By rule, yes...

By a rule that states within itself that it does not apply if there are no 10ths indicated on the clock...so in the situation given the answer is "by rule, no"...just playing devil's advocate here, I actually wonder why they even bother putting that statement in 5-2-5 about the rule not applying if there are no 10ths of a second given on the clock. If they are not 10ths shown on the board then you would normally assume that the officials have no way to know how many 10ths are left anyways (which turns out to not be true in this case w/ the control module) which makes a rule covering what you can do in 3/10ths or less pointless!

[slow whistle]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

By rule, yes...

The one out you could have is that 5-2-5 states that it does not apply if the "clock" does not display 10ths of a second...it doesn't say anything about the "scoreboard" having to display the 10ths...in the original situation since the module shows 10ths, maybe that is enough for you to be allowed to use it...

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by slow whistle

Like I said I would probably use it, but what happens if you have an operator who is a hair slow in getting the clock started and you are blowing your whistle before the horn goes off? You would be stuck justifying a rule that technically doesn't exist in the situation given. The 3/10ths rule just gives us an automatic out when we have it available, but does that mean that it is absolutely without a doubt impossible to catch and shoot in 3/10ths or less?

The reason the rule exists is because a study was done and it showed that it's not possible for a player to catch and get off a shot in .3 seconds or less. So therefore, yes, it is impossible for it to happen. And so if you have a clock that doesn't show 10ths on the scoreboard, but does show 10ths on the console, if you see that there are .3 seconds or less, you cannot allow a catch and shoot whether the clock operator starts the clock late or not. If someone attemoted a catch and shoot in that situation, you would immediately signal no shot and blow the whistle to end the quarter if the clock operator is late starting the clock. If there are more than .3 seconds, you have to use your best judgment whether a shot gets off before the expiration of time.