5 Second Count
 

GJH game last nite - girl dribbling while being closely defended I start count - girl continues to dribble across the court close to the division line. I call the violation.

Of course the coach says how can that be - she was attacking the basket. My response was that the count stops when the torso is past the defender or the dribbler backs up to avoid the 6 foot rule - was it the correct call?:)

Yes, I had one in a JVB game. Player started from about 25 feet from the hoop, drove to the right corner (I was T on that side), then started backing out from the endline. I actually got to 6 before calling it.

Coach, yelling across the court as I transition to new lead, "What is separation to you?"
Me, "Six feet."

Fixed it for ya. ;)

Too many words. :)

SECTION 10 CLOSELY GUARDED
A closely guarded situation occurs when a player in control of the ball in his/her
team’s frontcourt, is continuously guarded by any opponent who is within six feet
of the player who is holding or dribbling the ball. The distance shall be measured
from the forward foot/feet of the defender to the forward foot/feet of the ball
handler. A closely guarded count shall be terminated when the offensive player in
control of the ball gets his/her head and shoulders past the defensive player.

Just semantics, but remember the shampoo.

If the defender remains within 6 feet, but the dribbler is moving away from the defender [perhaps toward the backcourt, away from the defender], does that constitute having the shoulders and torso *past the defender* ?

Interesting question, Mick. I'd say no, but I'm willing to be convinced.

Follow up question: Would it matter if the dribbler turned to head towards the backcourt instead of backing up in that direction?

I was taught that "past the defender" is relative to the basket, so the ball handler would have to be moving toward the basket in order to meet this test and suspend the count.

I fixed it for you. You would never suspend a 5 second count.

:D

Sure you would. "Termination" is simply permanent suspension. :p

The shampoo rule! I love it!:D

Formulated with a fresh, clean scent ...
 

Classic.

Yeah, That's Right, I'm Old, What You Gonna Do About It ???
 

"What we've got here is a failure to communicate." (Cool Hand Luke)

You were 100% correct in your call, but you failed to listen to the coaches comment, which is why your reply fell on deaf ears. His complaint was that "she was attacking the basket". Many years ago, probably when this coach was playing, if a dribbler, while being closely guarded, dribbled past the twenty-eight foot hash mark, which still appears on some older courts, she got a new five second count started. Back then you cold hold for four seconds, dribble for four seconds, dribble past the hash mark, and get to dribble for four more seconds, and then hold for four seconds, with no violation, a total of 16 seconds. The maximum limit today is twelve seconds. Old Coach, old rule, maybe a young official, who never knew any other closely guarded rule.

Haha love it -- and probably exactly what happened!

Don't mean to argue semantics, but that's what we do here (a lot of the time).

Hold for 4.9999..., dribble for 4.9999...., hold for 4.9999... = 14.9997 seconds which is almost 3 seconds more than the 12 seconds that you suggest is the maximum.