Placing the ball on the floor...

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

NFHS from the 2007-09 Basketball Officials Manual: Sections 2.4.3.C.3 and 3.4.3.C.3 both state that: "If the administering official needs to leave the throw-in spot, he/she may place the ball on the floor at the spot."

NCAA Women's from the 2008-09 CCA Women's Basketball Officials Manual: Section 3.4.3.A.3 states: "Put the ball at the spot where play will be resumed with a throw-in only if spot is to be vacated."

NCAA Men's from the 2008-09 CCA Men's Basketball Officials Manual: There is no such provision in the Men's Manual.

FIBA Two- and Three-Person Crews: There is no such provision in either manual.

WNBA/NBA Officials Manual: I do not have a copy of the WNBA/NBA Manual but I have seen the officails place the ball on the floor per NFHS and NCAA Women's manuals so I assume that it is allowed per WNBA/NBA Manual.

IAABO: For those of you that officiate in areas that use the IAABO Basketball Officials Manual: The 2008-09 Two- and Three-Person Manuals has no such provision. The IAABO Manual is very very simular to the NFHS Manual.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. But I still stand by my humble opinion that it does not look good at any level and I would never do it and I would recommend to other officials not to do it.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I believe that putting the ball on the floor only showed up in the mechanics manuals, definitely the IAABO manual, just recently, although some of us have been doing it for many years.

Billy,

I thought so too. But the IAABO manual does not allow the ball to be placed on the floor. It requires the official to stand at the throw-in spot with the ball facing the direction of the throw-in .. or if a free throw will follow, to stand in-line with the official at the division line. (Timeout procedures R, S, T & V.)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

I thought so too. But the IAABO manual does not allow the ball to be placed on the floor. It requires the official to stand at the throw-in spot with the ball facing the direction of the throw-in, or if a free throw will follow, to stand in-line with the official at the division line.

At our local board's October 24, 2007 meeting we were told that there were three changes in IAABO mechanics for the 2007-08 season:
1) Not Closely Guarded Signal.
2) Referee can delegate jump ball toss.
3) Ball allowed on floor during time-out or intermission.

95% of games here in Connecticut are two-person games, and we were told that during a timeout, if the two officials needed to get together to discuss something, i.e., responsibility for last second shot, that the official responsible for inbounding the ball, or administering the foul shot, could leave the ball at that spot on the floor during the conference.

Did any of these three changes make it into the IAABO mechanics manual? I've got this in my written notes, and it's in the archive section of our local board's website, but I can't find any other citations.

[BayStateRef]

My memory matches your notes...which suggests that the IAABO interpreters were told about this change at a meeting or during a conference call. I was certain that I heard about this change at last year's interpretation meeting -- and I have used the mechanic in several games (including one just last week.)

But I checked the mechanics manual from last year and this year...and I cannot locate a reference that supports this mechanic.