FT Disconcertion
 

Had this happen tonight and wanted to get everyone's opinions on it.

Less than a minute to go in the 4th quarter, the outcome of the game is not in doubt.

A1 is on the free throw line with two shots coming. During the first shot, B1 is lined up in the first lane space. She's clapping her hands and saying "Come on Knights (oddly enough both teams were the Knights)". After the first shot, which A1 made, I grab the ball (as the lead, administering the FTs), and before I give it back to the shooter, say to B1 "I know what you're doing and I want you to stop it".

After I bounce the ball to the shooter for the second shot, B1 is now waving to the crowd, trying to incite crowd noise. A1 made the second shot and away we went.

I could have awarded a substitute free throw if A1 missed the second shot, but are there grounds for an unsporting tech here?

You might try telling her, "Please encourage your teammates before the shooter gets the ball and be quiet after that."

Certainly could deem her actions disconcertion for the clapping and needless chatter, but I wouldn't consider this unsporting conduct and worthy of a T.

Tim Donaghy's Worst Nightmare ...
 

I got twenty bucks that says the Knights win.

Agreed. I talk to em too and have never whacked anyone for this. I have called disconcertion several times though.

I even went so far in an older boys rec game once, before the second shot, to ask the offender, "All right, who has the shooter?"

He said, "I do."

I said, "Good, now, no more chatter. Got it?" He understood my point.


I wouldn't of course do that in a V game though, it was situational.

I've done this in JV games. It worked.

Sounds like a great idea.

btw I wonder who is next on the Quote Parade....

Why not just tell her that she can't do it anymore without being so contentious?

Countdown ...
 

Similar topic. Boys varsity scrimmage yesterday. During a spot throwin defensive player yells at the throwiner (is this a real word?), "Three, Four, Five". He does this a few times. I'm thinking to myself, "Knock it off". After the period ends opposing coach asks me if this is illegal. I reply that this act, like "Dead, Dead, Dead", and "Ball, Ball, Ball", really isn't against the rules, unless it gets way, way, way, out of hand. He accepts my explanation.

A few periods later we see the same team and same player using the same tactics. Remember now, it's only a scrimmage. So I decide to blow my whistle and go over to quietly talk to the player. "Son. I really wish that you would stop doing that. I'm sure that, technically, it's not against the rules, but at some point it may become unsporting, or may try to influence my count, so please stop doing that". Kid says "No problem". His coach asks for an explanation, which I give, to which he replies, "OK. No problem".

Don't you just love stories with happy endings? No technical fouls, just a bunch of kids playing basketball in a gym on a cold Saturday afternoon. Just the way God, and Dr. Naismith, intended it.

Had this last summer. I simply went to the coach and let him know that I would be the one to count, not his player. He told the player to stop doing it, and we had no further issues with it.

I didn't think this was contentious. I could have said, "Hey, 55. Shut up!". Instead, I said it quietly to her, so that her and maybe the player next to her heard it.

Or you could have said "no talking when shooter has the ball" for all along the lane to hear.

Or even, "Chear all you want before your shooter gets the ball." Emphasize "before" when you say it.

And we're back to GOLF again

Ditto. Got a dirty look from the player doing it, but it stopped.

No, because I'm not policing the gallery; only the other golfers.