Good little question to test the brain this morning
 

Got this in my weekly rules questions email.

Before the last free throw of a multiple free throw situation #42 from Team B is beckoned into the game for Team B. #32 goes to the bench and sits down. As #42 approaches the free throw lane, the official notices that his jersey is untucked and sends him out of the game. #32 gets off the bench and returns to the game. After the successful free throw, #42, who has returned to the table, is beckoned into the game by the officials. Were the officials correct?

Please respond with whether the officials were correct and, if not, what should have happened.

Neither player can come back into the game until the next subsitution opportunity after the clock has properly started.

Does "has to sit a tick, doesn't have to play a tick" apply here?

Yep.

Yep, B42 became a player when he was beckoned onto the court. B32 left and was bench personnel. B42 then had to leave the game.

At this point, the officials should have required a different sub for B42 rather than allowing B32 to come on the court.

Even after that mistake, the second mistake was allowing B42 into the game after the next free throw, as he also had gone from player to bench personnel before time had elapsed.

I agree with all the above, but it would be even better if the untucked shirt was noticed before #42 enters the game. If he is not allowed to sub in, he can fix the problem immediately and avoid the problem altogether.

Or if the official had simply asked #42 to tuck his shirt in while he was on the floor instead of directing him to leave. :rolleyes:

Way to ruin the scenario. Let's assume the official had informed #42 previously that he needed to be ready to play next time. :)

splitting hairs
 

Fellas, you're splitting hairs...

Either let the kid tuck his shirt in before you administer the second free throw, or if you're that vigilant about him coming into the game with the jersey tucked in, than rule that the substitution never happened and put 32 back into the game...

If you're going to go 'by the book' in this situation you're not:
a) using good preventative officiating
b) gonna get along with most coaches
c) in many areas, going to move up and get bigger and better assignments...

Just my .02

Matt, I think most of us would find a way to manage this situation. The point of this exercise is to think through the rules completely and utilize that knowledge in a similar situation when, for some reason, it wouldn't be able to be managed around. It's the point of most discussions on the board.