YHO - Technical Foul?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

Play: City Semi-Final, 4th quarter, 0:46s left. Team A losing by 4; ball in frontcourt. T is table side, L opposite side. Ball goes OB on endline, about 5 feet inside the 3-point line on the table side. T is 28 feet away (slightly above the 28' hash mark). One player from each team goes for the ball; no player closer than the other (from what I can tell). L calls for help and T gives the thumbs up to use the arrow.

Arrow points to Team B.

A bit of confusion since the L after asking for help, signalled in Team A's direction. (He didn't do it because he changed his mind on the call.) T explains to Team A coach that the L pointed in error, and explains how the help mechanic works.

T is about to slide over to opposite side as the new L for Team B's backcourt endline throw-in. Team A #20 walks right by the T (new L), says out loud, about 8 feet from his own coach, and says while looking right at the T (new L), "What are you, stupid?" While saying this, he gives a gesture of a few fingers pointed to the temple on his head, and swirls his fingers.

Thoughts?

Juggs:

I have good news and bad news.

First the good news: A20's actions fit the defintion of a flagrant TF.

Now the bad news: Once the L went to the T for help without signalling whose was going to get the throw-in, the call became the T's call. The T has three choices: 1) Point towards A's basket; 2) Point toward B's basket; or 3) Signal held ball and go to the AP Arrow.

The L's resposibilities in this play, in order, are: 1) Signal the Timer to stop the clock when the ball went out-of-bounds and thus became dead; 2a) Signal toward A's basket or 2b) signal towards B's basket, or 2c) signal held ball and go to the AP Arrow or 2d) give no signal and go to his partner for help. When L chooses (2d) the decision is now made by the T.

I do not have the NFHS Officials Manual or NCAA CCA Men's or Women's manuals in front of me but that is the correct procedure. The procedure that you and your partner made it appear that he was changing his mind. My using the procedure I described, enables the officials to make a decision quickly and if the T is questioned he has a simple explination: The L was blocked from seeing who last touched the ball and came to me for help making it my decision and I saw it this way.

MTD, Sr.