Signaling of Bonus
 

I know on the scoreboard, the bonus light is lit up underneath the team that gets the bonus after the penalty for the 6th team foul against the opposing team is administered.

However, if the scorers' table has the bonus signal, how should it be lit?

Lit towards the team bench that gets the bonus, or lit on that team's basket?

I never pay attention to that light (on the table). I would say the team's bench.

Team bench

I was always under the impression that when there's the bonus indicator on the table that it follows the AP.

The Varsity Scoreboard/Timer has been doing the team benches.

Just trying to figure out which way is the correct way.

I don't know if there is a "correct" way to do this, but I would prefer it to follow the AP protocol and be lit on the side towards the team's basket. Therefore, it would be on the opposite side from their bench during the first half of play.

Around here the light is on pointing toward the basket. About once a year I find a table that does it the other way. When I gently correct them, they always seem to look at me like I'm crazy.

Speaking of APs, what's the best AP you've seen?

What's the worse AP you've seen?

The best for me would be any of the light boxes on the scorers' table that has a toggle switch on it.

The worse would be the the that's being used in the secondary gym at my alma mater, a wooden arrow that spins around whenever the table gets bumped that has athletic tape on it to be more clearly seen.

Wow.

Just wow...

.

Best: Dancing girls. It's best when they use the cast of Howie Mandel's game show.

Worst: A pencil. I wish I was kidding.

At Least The Bulb Never Burns Out, Al Gore Would Love It ...
 

I know that you're not kidding. Been there. Done that.

Worst: besides none, a soda bottle - cap points towards basket of next AP throwin.

Most all of our schools have provision on the scoreboard to indicate actual number of team fouls - I much prefer that to a simple bonus light. Even with either the bonus light or number of team fouls displayed, the reporting official should still look to the official scorekeeper for confirmation, which they are supposed to give per 2-11-10. I like to be proactive on bonus situations, so I usually ask the scorekeeper to let us know when each team hits 6 team fouls.

The big question is then: how many times does the official scorer actually signal the bonus without being asked?

Another question for everyone, do you prefer the player fouls being shown on the scoreboard, or should this just be up to the official book to keep track?

I rotate on the JV & C-Squad games on showing the player fouls on the scoreboard. Of course, I always keep track of the team fouls on the scoreboard.

When I was working scoreboard at 4A Regionals last February, we only kept track of the team fouls. It was up to the book to keep track of the player fouls.

It should happen everytime the bonus is in effect. I only ask when I have an "inkling" that we are at 7 or 10.


No preference. I won't look up to see. If the teams / fans want it, that's good for them.


It always is. In fact, it's also always up to the book to keep track of team fouls. The only "official" part of the scoreboard is the time, provided it was designated the official timepiece by the referee. This is why the scoreboard operator is the "timer" and the person keeping the book is the "scorer."