Is leaving the bench a T?
 

Is leaving a bench a T or just an ejection?

At a recent HS girls Varsity game, all visiting players and coaches left the bench, during a fight.

When the smoke cleared, it was a four on four contest with no subs for either team, and one brutal fan arrest.

Leaving the bench during a fight is a flagrant T, which means ejection.
Why were the coaches not ejected?

Sounds like a forfeit to me (or perhaps a suspended game, and let the state clean up the mess).

According to the foul summary on page 71 of the 08-09 rulebook, leaving the bench during a fight results in disqualification. Sounds like it is considered flagrant. Where's the video of this?

Good question snaq, one I can't answer.

There were no T's that I saw, only ejections, and no free throws for either team.

The video was sent to the conference to review, no word on the outcome that I know of. The home team coach has been quoted as saying that the video shows only 3 or 4 of his players left the bench and went onto the floor.

The scrum happened right in front of home bench.

The ejections would have been reported as flagrant Ts. Free throws often cancel out during fights; it depends on how many left the bench for each team and how many on-court players fought. If each category (bench and on-court) was equal for each team, there would be no free throws.

Leaving the bench and not participating is not an ejection for the HC. It's one indirect no matter how many players left the bench.

The HC gets an indirect for each bench player who particiapates in a fight.

That might be your state association ruling, but it is NOT the NFHS rule. See 10-4-5. The HC is only allowed to enter the court if beckoned by an official.

Coaches left the bench during the fight.

Snaq,

There was noone sitting for the visitors, they all were on the floor, HC, AC, watergirl, mascot.

Just kidding on the watergirl and the mascot, but noone was in the bench area all were on the other end of the court.

that sounds like a forfeit by the team -- also I would not asses a T on the coach -- if a fight breaks out the coach is beckoned whether I go through the dog and pony show of waving him on the court or not. If he is participating in the fight then thats different.

So are you giong to toss the coach if he is instumental in breaking up the fight even though you did not call him out on to the floor. If they are helping I would be inclined to say he was as good as beckoned, and thanks for the help. Is this a sit. you could or should show some gray area with?

The coach would get tossed if he accumulates enough indirect T's AKOFL, not because its a direct flagrant on him.

that was my thought. We are not going to penalize him personaly, even though we could for leaving the bench. The indirects would be his demise.:eek: