Cancel or Continue???
 

A short while back I posted something about a ref calling off a game in the 3rd period due to unruly players. Several of you gave good advice, which I put to use and as a league we decided to back the refs 100% and the game stood as it was called. Thanks for the help.

Now, another situation arose today that I really need your advice on. Some of our games we play in a gym which we have to rent from the local Christian college. We started a game today and with 3:23 left in the 1st period, the school came and said we had to leave due to some function they were going to have.

I told both teams that the game would be rescheduled and that it would resume from the exact point at which it was stopped. All fouls and points would remain intact. Since the game was stopped with a guy waiting at the free throw line to shoot his two shots, I am planning to restart the game with that man shooting the free throws.

One of the players for the team that was losing said that the game should be cancelled and replayed in its entirety. That option doesn't make much sense to me...but in the spirit of fairness I figured I would post this question and borrow everyone's brain on this one. Am I handling this properly? If not, what is the right procedure?

Suspended game sounds right to me. The shooter at the line has to shoot his free throws; if he's unavailable to do so, then he should be ineligible to play the rest of that game.

It's not an officials' issue, but to me fairness would dictate starting where you left off.

Never listen to players. :)

Logic and precedence dictate you would pick up the game from where it was suspended. I would ask that player what his reasoning is for suggesting the game be replayed in it's entirety. I would bet he doesn't come up with anything that passes the logic test.

Here's a FIBA rule to back up your decision:

46.13 The referee shall... have the power to make decisions on any point not specifically covered by these rules.

I did a search for "suspend" and "interrupt" and came up empty, so the decision is yours.

If haven't already, you can download the FIBA rules here.

I don't believe the "god rule" is meant for situations like this. This is more an issue for the league to decide rather than an officials.

I agree with everyone else, continue from when the game was suspended. Of course the losing team will want a do over! Wouldn't surprise me if they had a player or two in foul trouble. :p

If I am not mistaken, about a year or so ago this happened in the NBA/E. If memory serves, something happened in the arena like the lights went out and wouldn't come back on or there was a problem with moisture on the floor. In any event, the solution was to have the two teams finish that game from the point it was suspended on the same night as their next meeting. There wasn't much time left in the 4th so the next time these two teams were scheduled to play in that arena, they 'finished' their last game, took a break, then played the 'regularly scheduled' game.
Also, doesn't baseball have a similar type procedure for rain delays etc? I know this is a basketball forum, but it may help

He's wrong. Restart the game at the point of interruption. Have the current foul shooter at the line or treat it as an injured player situation. I wouldn't DQ him from the game as he might have to be late to the make up.

Don't make anything harder than it is. Simply because one person objects with a self serving solution means nothing.

Either solution could be correct. The rules of basketball don't address such situations. Many sports have points where the game is either a non-game or a complete game.

What about NFHS 5-4-3:

"Whenever a game is interrupted because of events beyond the control of responsible administrative authorities, it shall be continued from the point of interruption unless the teams agree to terminate the game with the existing score, or there are conference, league, or state association rules to cover the situation."


So, barring a league rule to the contrary, I'd say the game resumes where it left off.

(I believe NCAA rules have a similar provision.)

That's fine and dandy for contests conducted under the authority of the NFHS. However, the OP is currently in Africa and has previously stated that he is operating under FIBA rules and regulations.

;)