I vote for c as well. If one of your partners whistles it dead, then just apply the rule.

I gave an example in my last post, A1 steps out of bounds with the ball, doesn't realize/forgets that the clock should be running, looks at you counting and panics and throws the ball in and you have a turnover. Now A coach is on the floor screaming that the clock didn't start. Now what do you do blow it dead and give the ball to team B? Is it likely no of course not, but why take the chance? Last seconds of games are tense and anything can happen, why not administer what you know?

I'm not saying it is the most "fair" alternative, but sometimes in an attempt to make things perfectly fair we can end up digging a bigger hole...

In similar situations, I have yelled, "I have the clock" (or something like that) and kept the count and blown the whistle when the game / period ended.

That is a great solution assuming you are able to visually/verbally communicate it to the inbounder...still run the risk of him having no idea what you are talking about, but it is definitely an alternative....either way I am strangling the clock operator....

And sometimes in our effort to prevent all the "what-ifs," we just make things worse.

Not sure I agree you made it worse by blowing it dead, you avoided a boatload of potential confusion...granted if you are sitting in coach A's seat it probably looks worse at that moment....

I've said this before on here and I will say it again.

In fact, I had a close game just the other day and it was a BV tourament semi-final. IIRC, the time on the clock was 00:55.9 when a TO was granted. I went to the timer (grade 11 girl) and told her that "at this point, the only thing that would prevent her from doing her job perfectly is to screw up the clock. It's a close game, so please make sure that you stop on the whistle and start when 'we' chop in time."

Agreed you have to do this...If team A is smart and they know that they don't have to inbound the ball with less than 5 seconds, then as the inbounder is going to pick-up the ball he is checking the clock - if it is stopped he is probably going to look at me and say "HEY THE CLOCK IS STOPPED" which gives you an opportunity to take Bob's solution and tell him that you have the clock don't worry about it...

I did exacly C a couple of weeks ago in a similar situation....

Throwin late in quarter with 3 seconds left. Clock didn't start. I counted ot 3....and blew the whistle to end the quarter then stated "Clock didn't start...three seconds have passed...quarter is over."