1 player
 

In last night's game Team A started the game with 5 players and ended with one. The were leading all the way through the game. Question: When is the game over while you have only 1 player remaining even though the team is winning ?

It's my understanding that as long as the officials consider a team has a chance to win the game, they may continue play with only one player. Never actually seen it with any less than 4 players though.

Correct. Don't have rule reference but I do remember reading this recently when someone asked me about this situation.

In school and don't have my books handy, otherwise I would pull up a citation for you. Perhaps some esteemed member of the forum could help you out?

It isn't over if the team is winning. It's only over when the referee feels that the team does not have a chance to win the game.

NFHS rule 3-1NOTE

With one, I'd let them continue for at least as long as they maintained a lead. More than likey, the team with a full squad would be chipping away at the lead. If they take the lead by a 5-10 points and start pulling away with no hint that the team with was going to be able to reverse the trend, game over.

I've finished a game wth a team having only 2 left....both with 4 fouls and the lead. They won.

How's That Again?
 

. . . or needed to inbound the ball after an opponent's score, which one player would not legally be allow to do, correct?

3-1-1 NOTE: When there is only one player participating for a team, the team shall forfeit the game, unless the referee believes that team has an opportunity to win the game.

No, Freddy is Wrong
 

The single player could inbound the ball to an opponent, then steal the ball from the opponent and score. If this is repeated time after time after time, I guess a single player COULD win a game all by his lonesome.
Let's see this one on YouTube.

I've actually thought about this....
 

One scenario I would let them play on would be a 5-7 point lead with 15 or so seconds left.

If the inbounder throws the ball a long way down the court and runs after it and forces the other team to get it (before it goes out) and go the entire length of the court to score - several times, it could eat up the clock and the team with one could still win.

The inbounder could also throw the ball off a defender and then recover it and try his best to play keep away.

Thoughts? Others?

1)Keep taking a 5 second count and then play really, really good defense.

2)try and bounce it off defense if they are stoopid enough to contest throwin.

3) throw in, foul, and hope for rebound on free throws

Would this be cool or what? Team A down to one player. Team B up by one point with two seconds left. A5 to inbound on a spot throw-in. B1 reaches across the plane and hits the ball in A5's hands. Technical called. A5 hits both free throws. A5 then inbounds by throwing the ball off B1's leg and the clock runs out as team A wins the game.

OK - it's probably never happened but it would make a great video.

Then Again...
 

Wouldn't his team need a defensive player in each of the lower two blocks along the freethrow lane?

8-1-4C The first marked lane spaces on each side of the lane, above and adjacent to the neutral-zone marks, shall be occupied by opponents of the free thrower.

This one-player team seems to be spiraling down the drain toward a loss!

This seems like the best solution.

So are you going to tell us how the 1 player handled it in the game?!?!

That's an excellent question. We're not supposed to allow a free throw until the non-shooting team occupies both of the lower blocks.

Already covered by rule. If a team only has one player left, it's not a violation to only fill one spot on a FT.

And yes, I'll look it up when I get a minute.

Got it....

See Situation #2 of the 2003-04 NFHS Basketball Rules Interpretations...

http://forum.officiating.com/basketb...s-archive.html

No. Consider that by rule 5 players are required for each team but an exception is made to allow as few as 1 if that is the number of eligible players... Similarly, the exception would allow the only eligible player to occupy a free throw lane space.

Good Pre-pre-Game Topic
 

Our crew carpooled to a game about 40 miles away on snowy roads with speed further reduced by the large number of deer feeding on either side of the roads tonight and we considered this sitch all the way there. Made for some very interesting pre-pre-game conversation!
I appreciate the citation from the 2003-2004 Rules Interpretations, but without the regular availability of past interps, that would be the last thing I'd know to use as a basis of inquiry.
I'll have to search for the past thread that included all the past interps and review them again.

Kobe Bryant maybe? He probably played 1-man team like he does in the NBA

I would not stop a game when a team is down to one person if they have a lead regardless of the size of the lead or the time remaining. Only when they are behind would I consider stopping the game.

Hmmm.....
 

One of the Rec Leagues I officiate in has B13-15 Division that only has six or seven players per team. This yr due to injury, science fairs, SAT prep, illness, several games have only had five players per team.

I may have to call a tight game one weekend and see what develops...... ;)