Leaving Court Unauthorized

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by theboys
Okay, Mark, I'm an ignorant howler monkey, so I'll bite. :-)

From the discussion on this post I assumed it was because we only had four players on the floor. Where did I go wrong?

While you're required, as Chuck pointed out, to play five (i.e., you can't hold back on a sub), there is no penalty for only having 4 players on the court at any given time. There is, however, a penalty for having more than 5.

[Nevadaref]

In response to the question by theboys about his team receiving a T for only having 4 players in the game:
Yes, good officials count and make sure you have 5 before starting play, but it is your job as well.
Now if you want to go "BY THE BOOK" the following rule justifies the T your team received:
10-1-9 Fail to have all players return to the court at approximately the same time following a time-out or intermission.

Notice that the T has nothing to do with running off the bench and returning during play. If it is after a time-out or intermission, this is the proper rule for the T, if a player mistakenly goes and sits on the bench thinking he has been replaced when no substitute has entered and there was not a time-out or intermission, the leaving the court for an unauthorized reason 10-3-4 is the correct rule.

Lastly, I will point out that 10-1-9 is a TEAM technical and 10-3-4 is a PLAYER technical. Bottom line--if you are going to call it, at least get the rule straight!

[BktBallRef]

I disagree with you, NevadaRef. This rule is not meant to penalize a team when mistakenly they only return 4 players to the floor. If the player runs onto the floor after the ball has come live, then it's a T. Otherwise, it's not.

[ReadyToRef]

It seems like this came up like year in some state championship game. End of the game, losing team down by one was trying to foul a poor foul-throw shooting player on the other team. The poor shooter left the court to avoid being fouled and got hit with a Tech. Other team hits both FTs and wins the state.

[Nevadaref]

BBR,
You are a great help on this board and normally give excellent answers. However, in this case I would like you to support your opinion with evidence from the rule book. IMHO the wording of the rule simply does not support your posting. The intent is to prevent delay by sending out a couple of players while a couple more hang back at the bench for either extra rest or more instruction and then one more comes out, etc. meanwhile, the ref has to wait for the team to have 5 players on the court (officials manual #379). The T for 10-1-9 should be called at this time if we are strictly adhering to the rule.
Now your preventative officiating techniques may rationalize that if that late player(s) do not participate in the play, you don't call the T. However, we both know that how we enforce the rules and what they really say are two different things.

[BktBallRef]

If the officials resume play with 6 players on the floor from a team, it's our screw-up as well as the player and the coach's. The team has gained an advantage and it's a T because you can only play with 5 players.

If the officials resume play with 4 players on the floor from a team, it's our screw-up as well as the player and the coach's. But the team has not gained an advantage and it's not a T since the player never returned to the floor. If the player doesn't return and play is resumed, then the game hasn't been delayed, has it?

The rule is to prevent a player from delaying in returning and gaining an advantage, such as sneaking down to his basket form his bench, unseen. 10.1.9 cites this play. The purpose of the rule is not to penalize a team that mistakenly only sends 4 players back out.

Post this question in a new thread and see how many of the veterans agree with calling a T for playing with only 4 players.