Have you ever had this happen?

[Mark Padgett]

According to the note following NF rule 3.1.1, a team can continue with only one player if the officials feel that team still has a chance to win the game. I can see this happening maybe if that team has a huge lead with just a few seconds left, although they would violate every time they had to inbound the ball, unless they threw it in off an opponent and then recovered it, I guess.

While I would be incredibly surprised if anyone here ever had that happen, let me ask all of you this. What is the least number of players you've ever had left on a team and played out the game? There have been a few times over the year I've had rec teams finish with three players, but that's usually when they started with only five or six. And once a few years ago, I did have a kids rec game in which a team started with six, had two foul out and then had two get injured with just under three minutes to go. They were behind by ten at the time and lost by just fourteen. Not too bad, actually.

[BillyMac]

Four. During influenza season.

[Indianaref]

Anybody have a team member smoke or chew tobacco during a game?

[grunewar]

I was at a Summer Rec Game a week ago where a team started with five and had one go down with a knee injury. Game started to get out of hand (15+) with the one team only having four. So, I went to the coaches near half time and asked if they wanted to balance the squads. The team nine passed two pretty good players to the team with four. Game eventually went into OT (sorry Mark) and the team that got the new players actually won. Good game.

Part way through the second half, scorekeeper (teenager) says to me, "#23 had two fouls when he was on white and now has one more on red. Is that three fouls on him or just one?"

Originally Posted by Indianaref

Anybody have a team member smoke or chew tobacco during a game?

No.

[Texas Aggie]

I've never had just one player left, but I have thought about situations where I'd let it happen. There needs to be a fairly big lead but remember, there's no automatic violations. He could throw the ball in down court and then chase it down, needing a defender to just touch it. The defense may think about letting it go, but if the clock is running (after a made basket), they may want to score ASAP. On a missed shot, anything is fair game. If the team with only one player is behind, automatic game over. No discussion regardless of the quality of the player and the lack of quality of the opponent.

I've had as few as three left, but I don't remember how many they started with -- probably 6 or 7. The opposing coach made a classy gesture in only sending out 3 of her own, but we told her she had to have 5 on the court. Where they stand or what they do is up to her, but do not allow either team to make a mockery of the game.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

but do not allow either team to make a mockery of the game.

You mean like this?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Texas Aggie

I've never had just one player left, but I have thought about situations where I'd let it happen. There needs to be a fairly big lead but remember, there's no automatic violations. He could throw the ball in down court and then chase it down, needing a defender to just touch it. The defense may think about letting it go, but if the clock is running (after a made basket), they may want to score ASAP. On a missed shot, anything is fair game. If the team with only one player is behind, automatic game over. No discussion regardless of the quality of the player and the lack of quality of the opponent.

I've had as few as three left, but I don't remember how many they started with -- probably 6 or 7. The opposing coach made a classy gesture in only sending out 3 of her own, but we told her she had to have 5 on the court. Where they stand or what they do is up to her, but do not allow either team to make a mockery of the game.

I think that you should reconsider some of your beliefs.
I do not believe that your statements above are proper interpretations of the rule.

What do you consider "a fairly big lead"? 5pts, 8pts, 11 pts...

Why do you categorically state that the game must automatically be over once the single-player team falls behind? Couldn't the team with only one player be down two with the ball and only a few seconds remaining and have a chance to win?

I would counsel you not to impose conditions of your own which are not explicitly stated in the rules upon this situation.

[just another ref]

In the consolation game of a girls jr. high tourney several years ago, a local team had a substantial (for girls jr. high) lead in the fourth quarter when they began to run out of players. They got down to a single player with about a minute left, and still led by six. Coach called time. Told his remaining player to get in the way as much as possible without fouling, then after the score by the opponent, take the ball out of bounds, count to four, then heave it deep toward her own front court. Girl did what she could, but the opponents managed to tie the game just before the buzzer. All parties involved agreed that overtime was not an option. Winning team received the consolation trophy, then presented it to the single remaining player from the losing team.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by just another ref

In the consolation game of a girls jr. high tourney several years ago, a local team had a substantial (for girls jr. high) lead in the fourth quarter when they began to run out of players. They got down to a single player with about a minute left, and still led by six. Coach called time. Told his remaining player to get in the way as much as possible without fouling, then after the score by the opponent, take the ball out of bounds, count to four, then heave it deep toward her own front court. Girl did what she could, but the opponents managed to tie the game just before the buzzer. All parties involved agreed that overtime was not an option. Winning team received the consolation trophy, then presented it to the single remaining player from the losing team.

http://forum.officiating.com/61405-post24.html

Deja vu, anyone?

BillyMac, you will be glad to know that I've relocated my super-memory.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Deja vu, anyone?

How long did it take you to find a seven year old post?

[Raymond]

I actually worked a Men's JuCo game in which the visiting team only had 6 players. They were down to 4 players with 3 minutes left in the game and were losing by 3-5 points. They actually tied the game up while playing with 4 and sent the game into OT where they eventually lost. I don't remember if anymore of their players fouled out in the waning moments of OT.

[theboys]

Years ago, when I lived in Houston, I read an article in the Houston Chronicle one morning about a mens league game where a team with one player managed to hold onto a win. I don't recall the specifics, but the team with one player remaining would inbound the ball and, when the opponent picked it up, he would foul immediately. The other team would miss a free throw, and he would get the rebound, and head upcourt immediately. As I recall, he either made a couple of shots, or got fouled while taking shots. It was a pretty incredible story and I kick myself every time I think about it for not cutting out the article.

[Hugh Refner]

Originally Posted by theboys

The other team would miss a free throw, and he would get the rebound

Since we're probably just talking theoretically, how would you handle the situation where the other team had to shoot a free throw while one team was down to one player, since under NF rules, the non-shooting team must occupy both of the top FT lane spaces?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Hugh Refner

Since we're probably just talking theoretically, how would you handle the situation where the other team had to shoot a free throw while one team was down to one player, since under NF rules, the non-shooting team must occupy both of the top FT lane spaces?

Both of the TOP spaces? I don't think that's the rule.

And, while the rule does require both of the bottom spaces to be filled, that's not a requirement if the team is down to one player. There's some interp on this (although it should just be common sense).

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Hugh Refner

Since we're probably just talking theoretically, how would you handle the situation where the other team had to shoot a free throw while one team was down to one player, since under NF rules, the non-shooting team must occupy both of the top FT lane spaces?

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Both of the TOP spaces? I don't think that's the rule.

And, while the rule does require both of the bottom spaces to be filled, that's not a requirement if the team is down to one player. There's some interp on this (although it should just be common sense).

The thread which I quoted in my previous post got the NFHS to draft this interpretation. It can be found in our Past Interps Archive.

2003-04 NFHS BASKETBALL RULES INTERPRETATIONS

SITUATION 2: Team A started the game with seven team members in the scorebook. All team members foul out but one, A1. Team A is leading by eight points with 38 seconds left in the game with a chance to win. A1 fouls B2 with Team B in the bonus. A1 occupies one of the first marked lane spaces for the free throw, with no teammate to occupy the other required space. RULING: By rule, a team may continue to play with one player if that team has an opportunity to win the game. Accordingly, since Team A can only put one player in the required free-throw marked lane space, it cannot be penalized. Further, Team B may not occupy the first marked lane space left vacant by Team A. (3-1-1 Note, 8-1-3)