3 Seconds question

[RookieDude]

9-7-1
..."A player shall not remain for three seconds in that part of his/her free-throw lane between the end line and the farther edge of the free-throw line while the ball is in control of his/her team in his/her frontcourt."

My assigner forwarded the following e-mail, from a local JV Coach, and asked me to take care of it. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent)


My name is Seymore Butts, and I am the boy's JV Basketball coach at Big Time High. In a game we had last week with Bigger Time High, there was a call that blew me away. We had the ball under our basketball, we lost control and there was a scrum for the ball. No team had possession However, I got a 3 second in the lane call. How is that possible? It was a loose ball. Please clarify this rule for me.



Coach B



If some of you think you have a good explanation to the Coach...I am all ears.

Also, is this a call that many of you Vets make?

[Adam]

I've made this call, but I'm hardly a vet, and it was a slightly different scenario. A1 drove in and picked up his dribble just below the FT line at about a 2 count. As he was gathering it, he fumbled it and it pin balled in the lane for a couple of seconds before I called it.

By rule, the right call; although I still wonder whether it was the "right" call.

[Adam]

As for the coach, I'd just tell him that the rules back up the official here. Team control in the FC is all that's required for a violation here, and that continues until something happens to end it.

[jdw3018]

Just tell him team control does not end because a player loses control and the restrictions on the lane are still in place until the opposing team gains control.

[M&M Guy]

Gotta picture of the play in question?

I've never personally seen that call, but I've heard of it being made.

In your response to the coach, make sure you reference the specific rules on player and team control, and the case 4.12 COMMENT, without actually writing them out. This would force Seymore to actually find one of them rule book-thingys and read it for himself.

[tjchamp]

Team control is lost in one of three ways:
a. The ball is in flight during a try or tap for goal.
b. An opponent secures control.
c. The ball becomes dead.

So, technically his team still had control since none of these situations must not have occurred.

That said, I would have held my count.

[RookieDude]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Gotta picture of the play in question?

lol...

Thanks for the responses...letter has been sent.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by jdw3018

Just tell him team control does not end because a player loses control and the restrictions on the lane are still in place until the opposing team gains control.

Even during an interrupted dribble.