What would you have done?
 

Had a play the other night that I can't find any rule reference for. Wondering if there is one. If not, wondering what you would do.....

Girls Varsity Game. Team B scores a basket. After the ball passes through the net, it bounces under the basket on the out-of-bounds side of the endline. Clearly, the ball is at the disposal of the thrower. Team A has some confusion about who will inbound the ball. I wait a solid two seconds after the ball is at the disposal for someone to come and be the thrower before I start my five second count. As I get near four in the count, a player from Team A finally picks up the ball, and then throws it toward me to "check" the ball (like you would after a violation or foul). I chose to step out of the way and allow the ball to bounce past me. I completed the five second count and called Team A for the violation. Team A coach clearly didn't like this. Later, when he mentioned it again and I had the opportunity to explain,
I told him that I was at four in my count and that I believe that she passed the ball to me to attempt to get me to restart my count. (You might suggest that I catch the ball and pass it back to her while continuing my count, but I didn't feel like I could catch the ball without stopping the visual arm count. I was concered that if I actually reached 5 without the visible count and then call five seconds, it would have given more reason for him to dislike the call.) He told me that she wasn't smart enough to toss the ball toward me with that intent.

What would you have done?

Regardless of intent, I'd have a violation there. I wouldn't even address intent with the coach.

I probably would have attempted to knock the ball back toward her, but would have continued my count and had a violation like you did.

Options, in order of my personal preference.

1. Tap it back with non-counting arm and keep the visible count going.
2. Tap it back with the counting arm, and continue counting in your head. At most, you'll miss one arm swing. Easily explained if someone's reviewing the tape later.
3. Tap it back with the counting arm, suspending the count just long enough to tap the ball.
4. Let it hit you in the chest and drop to the floor as you back a step away. Keep counting.
5. Dodge it, keep counting.
6. Catch it, throw it back, and start the count over.

Really??

Why would you start the count over?

Why not catch it, toss it back, and then continue the count from where you were at?

That would fit between options 5 and 6, then, wouldn't it? It is the last of my preferences, and I didn't mean to suggest it was a good option.

Hmmmm guess I'm a bit of a hard @$$ then because I probably would've stepped aside and let the ball keep going considering that a varsity player should know better. Guess I will adjust any future reactions accordingly.

I've got no problem with that, but let me ask. If a player did that in the first quarter, before you started your 5 second count, what would you do?

I certainly don't have any problem with this approach, it's just not the one I'd take. If a player ever tosses me the ball after a made basket I simply bat it back to them. If it happens several times I'll say something to them and/or the coach to get it to stop.

I don't care about looking like an a$$, but there's little reason to pile on myself. ;)

Fair point, I would probably bat it back to them I suppose (irrespective of which quarter). I guess the difference in my mind is whether or not the count has started. As I said, I will adjust accordingly. :)

I think there's a diffference between this happening before you start your count (toss / bat it back and then start the count) and after (step aside / bat it back and continue the count)

My first instinct is to dodge it, too. Then I thought about what I'd do if they threw it to me before I started my count, and figured I should stay consistent. :)

I'm going to catch the ball every time. If I have to miss a swing, I'm still going to blow the violation at five. Never had a coach try and give me any beef over it cause they know they had five seconds.

Gotcha...seems like the easiest thing to do is to bat it back with the non-counting hand. Dodging it and letting it roll away just makes us look bad, imho.

I agree.

Fellas, I'm glad I read this thread. I have a boys varsity game coming up with a team that likes to pass the ball to the official after every opponent make (I know because I did the JV game and stayed for varsity back in December). The opponents were pressing so my feeling at the time was "they're screwing themselves by letting this press set up". But now I'm thinking they are gaining an advantage by trying to delay the start of the count.

Question: would you address this if a team did it every time? If you're me, do you say something to coach before the game?

I wouldn't say anything to the coach before the game. Start your count as normal, however, and continue it. If they do it every time, just let it hit you and drop while you keep counting. They'll stop.

Someone may come along and convince me otherwiser, but this is how I'd do it.

If you believe they're trying to delay the count by tossing you the ball, just start it as you would usually. I believe we're all talented enough to catch/tap a ball and start/continue a count all at the same time. ;) I believe it looks infinitely worse if we just let the ball pass by or hit us.

Or you could, if you wanted to be nasty, immediately declare it a throwin pass and a violation and give it to the other team.

Just To Be Clear ...
 

Was this dodge balll, or basketball?

Thanks fellas. I'll pregame this with my partner and I'll lobby for hitting it back to the kid while continuing my count. If necessary I can comment to the coach that I am continuing my count once he catches the ball/it's at the disposal even if he throws it to me.

Keep swinging, he'll know.