T to Start the Game

[Spence]

First game of a JV/V doubleheader. We come onto the floor at 15 minutes and the home team is nowhere to be found. At 12 minutes they're still not on the floor so I go to the table to check the book. Rosters are listed for both teams but the home team has not designated their starters. Our association usually likes to have the clock stopped at this point in order to avoid the technical foul. However, no one is at the clock so it can't be stopped. I tell the home scorekeeper to quickly go find the coach.

Coach and team come strolling out and he finally marks the starters with 7 minutes remaining. I inform him that we will be starting the game with a technical. He tries to tell me the clock should not have started and its two minutes ahead of his watch. I inform him that we don't go by watches.

Two questions.

Would you have handled it any differently?

What is the procedure for starting the game with a T? I informed the official scorekeeper that we were starting the game with a T and to mark down a team foul and note the team technical. I then administered the free throws.

Do I need to make any sort of signal to indicate why we are starting with free throws?