When do you chop the clock to start the game? When the ball is tapped or when a team gains control?

Thanks
MJ

when the ball is tapped.

Correct! The ball becomes live when it leaves the hand of the referee and the clock is properly started when the ball is touched.

Once again, can we have some veteran refs (even a few NCAA ones) come and take a look at this?

Once again, can we have some veteran refs (even a few NCAA ones) come and take a look at this?

What do you mean Mark?

I think Mark just means that this is one of those rules that the vets tend to forget about b/c it doesn't seem very important. Then when it becomes important, or they're asked about it, they don't really know anymore.

Chuck

Thanks Chuck.

What I mean is that, quite often, I'll be doing the clock and the U will chop in the clock once team control is gained as opposed to the first touching. (Don't tell anyone, but I start the clock correctly.)

Mark,are you sure that the guys aren't giving you a double chop?First chop to start the game clock when the ball is first touched by,or touches,a player after the jump--and second chop to start the shot clock when the team first gains control?I can't believe that experienced guys(or gals)at this level don't know when to start the clock(s) properly.

I'm pretty sure there's no double chop. (The tap and control are sometimes so close together that it would look really weird.)

The one solution I thought of is that they were just chopping in the shot clock - for some reason they think the shot clock timer is dumber than the main clock operator.

BTW, the same thing happened tonight on a missed FT (as well as the initial jump) . . .