Jay Bilas, a Lawyer?, He can not even read.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Which is it?

a) Official notes that a Team A player is holding or dribbling the ball. Team A head coach verbally requests a timeout. Official looks over at the coach to make sure that it is the Team A head coach. It is, so the official grants the timeout, without looking back at the players on the court.

b) Official notes that a Team A player is holding or dribbling the ball. Team A head coach verbally requests a timeout. Official looks over at the coach to make sure that it is the Team A head coach. It is. Now the official looks again at the players on the court to make sure that a Team A player is holding or dribbling the ball. A Team A player is holding or dribbling the ball, so the official grants the timeout.

Billy,
I use the procedure outlined in (b). I believe that it is correct based upon the wording of the NFHS rule.

RULE 5
SECTION 8 TIME-OUT, STOPPING PLAY
Time-out occurs and the clock, if running, shall be stopped when an official:
3 . . . Grants a player’s/head coach’s oral or visual request for a time-out,
such request being granted only when:
a. The ball is in control or at the disposal of a player of his/her team.
b. The ball is dead, unless replacement of a disqualified, or injured player(s),
or a player directed to leave the game is pending, and a substitute(s) is
available and required.


According to the rule as written, it is not the timing of the request, but the timing of the granting of that request which must meet the two criteria listed.

If the NFHS desires for only the timing of the request to be subject to those constraints, then it needs to change the wording of the rule. That could be done by replacing the word "granted" with "honored."