Team Control timeout request

[DownTownTonyBrown]

If you have officiated very long, this has likely happened to you:

Team A has the ball, A1 becomes trapped ... one second, two seconds, A1 still is trapped, three seconds, four seconds, A1 attempts a pass to A2 and pass is in the air...

Team A coach jumps up and requests time as the pass is released.

Your whistle goes off as you move to grant the timeout request ... just as Team B intercepts the pass.

Now what?

Somebody point me in the right direction for rules.
NFHS 5-8-3a seems to say a time out request can be made during TEAM control (which is present during the pass - see NFHS 4-12-2b).

You know Team B coach is gong to be screaming that his team has the ball and he wants that break-away lay-up.

This situation has happened to me more than once and I have always relied upon stating that the request was made before Team B gained control and my whistle was just a little bit slow.

I'm looking for rules justification because I (and you too, probably) have been posed with the following question, "...can only be granted a timeout when the ball is in player control or the ball is dead." T or F.

"Only" and "player" are the words that are bothering me. For the "only" statement to be True shouldn't it say "team" control?

[tref]

Time outs should be granted when a player has possession of the ball, not when the ball is being passed among teammates.

There are times when the request comes very close to the release of the ball (try/pass). I verbally say, "white time out before the release" & that generally keeps me out of trouble.

[Raymond]

If the ball is dead either team can be granted a time-out.

When the ball is live, only the team in possession (team control) can (should) be granted a time-out, but only if there is player control or the ball is at the requesting team's disposal.

[Adam]

By rule, once the pass is released, you cannot grant timeout because there's no player control.
If, however, you blow your whistle while the ball is in the air; grant the timeout and give the ball to A as they had team control when your whistle blew.
If you blow your whistle after B intercepted the pass, grant the TO and give the ball to B as they had control when your whistle blew.

[Scrapper1]

Somebody point me in the right direction for rules.
NFHS 5-8-3a seems to say a time out request can be made during TEAM control (which is present during the pass - see NFHS 4-12-2b).

You might just need to read that rule again more carefully. It says the official can grant the time-out request when the ball is in control or at the disposal of a PLAYER on the requesting team. During a live ball, you need disposal or PLAYER control to grant the time-out.

So. . .

Originally Posted by DownTownTonyBrown

Team A coach jumps up and requests time as the pass is released.

Your whistle goes off as you move to grant the timeout request ... just as Team B intercepts the pass.

Now what?

You grant the request, even though you should not have blown the whistle. After the time-out, you resume with a throw-in to the team that was in control, which is Team A at the out of bounds spot closest to where the pass was released before the whistle sounded.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Scrapper and others ...

Rule 5-8-3a says specifically:
Grant's 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.

I now understand that this statement DOES NOT include team control. It specifically is player control and I feel should grammatically be re-written as "the ball is in control of a player, or at the disposal of a player, of his/her team."

And as such, a timeout should not be granted during the flight of a pass, despite TEAM control continuing during this flight time because there is no PLAYER control.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by DownTownTonyBrown

Scrapper and others ...

Rule 5-8-3a says specifically:
Grant's 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.

I now understand that this statement DOES NOT include team control. It specifically is player control and I feel should grammatically be re-written as "the ball is in control of a player, or at the disposal of a player, of his/her team."

And as such, a timeout should not be granted during the flight of a pass, despite TEAM control continuing during this flight time because there is no PLAYER control.

Why does it need to be re-written? It covers the situations in which a time-out can be granted during a live ball.

Also, there is no Team Control on a throw-in but a time-out can be granted to the team whose player has the ball at his/her disposal.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Why does it need to be re-written? It covers the situations in which a time-out can be granted during a live ball.

Also, there is no Team Control on a throw-in but a time-out can be granted to the team whose player has the ball at his/her disposal.

The re-write does nothing. It doesn't change the meaning, nor does it make it any more clear.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Well you boys must have better operating crystal balls than mine.

It doesn't change the intended meaning. Agreed.

I feel what I suggested does clarify that meaning.

But don't get your panties in a knot - you might drop your crystal ball.

Thanks for your help.

[JRutledge]

This is clearly a basketball fundamental.

"The official's whistle seldom causes the ball to become dead (it is already dead)." Fundamental #16.

Peace