Whose line is it anyway?

[BillyMac]

For the first twenty-five years that I officiated, the NFHS two person mechanics were simple. As the lead, you had the frontcourt endline, and your sideline, all the way into the backcourt. As the trail, you had your sideline, the division line, and the backcourt endline. I never really realized that the these boundary responsibilities didn't really align with our primary coverage areas, since both officials had to know where the ball was, and where your partner was. The toughest call was on the lead's side, in the corner formed by the lead's sideline, and the trail's division line. If the ball went out on the sideline in that corner, the lead would occasionally have to ask for help, or help would be offered, or we went to the arrow, mechanics in place to help us get this call correct almost all the time.

Over the past few years, IAABO has come with an "option". The lead can, as an "option", only be responsible for his sideline out to the foul line extended. Great coverage in a halfcourt set, but not in transition, or during a press, or press break. Also, IAABO doesn't give any alternative to this option, in other words, the manual doesn't even bother to explain the old NFHS mechanics as the original mechanic to this "option". Not very good guidelines for a rookie official, especially for plays in transition, or during a press, or press break.

Our interpreter has given us his interpretation of this new IAABO mechanic. I wish that IAABO would incorporate it into their manual. He has told us that once the ball "settles" in the frontcourt, when the ball is in that corner, especially when the ball handler may be double teamed, and the trail has moved way over to the ball side of the court, if that ball goes out of bounds on the sideline, above the foul line extended, in front of the nearby trail official, that the trial official may make the out of bounds call, and then stay there to administer the throwin, as the lead switches over to the weak side of the court on his endline.