Nets too tight!
 

Okay here's a new one. I was watching (not working) four games yesterday (private school league) where the basketball nets were obviously a bit too tight and almost every shot hung up at the very end of the net. It was happening at both ends and caused a slight delay at the conclusion of nearly every successful basket. One of the coaches walked up to me and wanted to know if there was anything that could be done from an official standpoint to get this school to change out their nets. I figured I would throw it out here and see what you guys and gals had to say.

Paul

Two words - PEACH BASKETS. :D

Tell the home school to either fix the nets or find some new ones. Sometimes all it takes is a few scissor-snips.

Nets have to meet the specs set under rule 1-10-3 and momentarily check the ball as it passes through. If it doesn't, it's illegal equipment and the responsibility of the home team to fix.

This is the rub. What's momentarily?

Making this judgement is why we get paid the big bucks, of course. :D

Use a girls ball?
 

... or maybe thats not the best approach. :D

I like the 'snips' approach, or you could check for another ball that would be both legal and a touch smaller.

Mark is right!
 

Here ya go! Of course they might have to fill in the backboards a little.:D

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/1...basketball.jpg

It seems as if, in the OP, the ball needed help every time. I'd say that doesn't qualify as "momentarily."

Yeah, not sure based on reading the OP. 'Hung up' could mean completely stopped, or significantly slowed down. Be curious to know. Obviously if the ball completely stops and has to be 'helped' out something has to be done.

If it's just slower than usual to get through? Maybe, maybe not.

I was talking with a coach once and he told me that some years back he was playing a team with a particularly fast past offense. This team was known for throwing the ball in fast and launching it downcourt before the defense knew what was up.

Before the game he installed new nets to slow the ball a down a little more so his defense would have time to be in position. Sounds like a pretty clever strategy to me, that is until some fool referee comes along and takes issue with it. ;)

The ball became completely hung up. The taller players would just give it a quick tip and it would come through.

Silly monkeys.

Thanks.

Definitely have the coach get some scissors.

My high school coach told me stories about his college coach soaking the nets in water the night before a game w/ particularly up-tempo teams. This caused them to become a bit tighter and slow down the transition.

At least in his mind it did. ;)

OH?

Wouldn't that be basket interference as per NFHS 4-6-1?

Hoping For A Photo ...
 

Downer. I thought you were going to post about the official who wears fishnets that Mark Padgett is always talking about.