Time-out Debacle

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by NewNCref

Had a great VB game last night. With Team A down by 4, Team B has the ball in their front court, and is under pressure near the division line. I am trail, on the division line table side, and about 10 feet out on the floor to see the action right near the division line. B1 has possession of the ball, and I hear what I believe to be B's coach requesting a time out. I glance over to see B's coach, and he is in fact requesting a time-out, both visually and verbally. I blow my whistle to grant Team B a time-out. When I immediately hear an uproar in the rather crowded gym, and in the time it took me to glance at Team B's coach, B1 has committed a turnover, and A1 is now in player control. I sell it hard that B1 had possession when time-out was requested, and grant the time-out, and give the ball back to Team B.

A couple of questions about the situation.

1.) Was I, by rule, correct in what I did? Since B1 had control of the ball when time-out was requested, the time-out was granted and the ball given back to Team B.

2.) Could I have been in a better position to officiate this play and see the coach's request for time-out?

1. By rule you were not correct. 5-8-3 says that the ball must be in control when the official grants the request. How does an official grant a time-out request? -- By blowing the whistle and stopping the clock. At the time which you did this the opponent had the ball. Now, many people will tell you that by practice officials give the time-out when they are a little slow to respond to the coach's request. Of course, this does cause problems such as the one which you encountered.

2. Two things which could have been done:
a. after seeing that the request is coming from the Head Coach, you could have turned your vision back to the game action and looked to see if his team still had control before blowing your whistle
b. your partner may have had a clear view of both the action and the Head Coach, if so, then he could have granted the time-out request.