.3 Seconds on the Clock

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by just another ref
5-9-4 ".....the clock shall be started when the ball touches, or is touched by, a player ON THE COURT after it is released by the thrower."

A player out of bounds is not considered to be "on the court", is he? I have no rule to quote which directly states this.

Exactly. The NCA addresses that the ball must be touched legally. The NFHS doesn't. What if the ball were kicked by a defender who is inbounds? Is that play any different than this one? The ball has been touched by a player who is inbounds. Hmmmm?

9-2-10 "No player shall be out of bounds when he touches or is touched by the ball after it has been released on a throw-in pass."

9 Penalty: "The ball becomes dead when the violation ....occurs...."

I read all this to say that the ball becomes dead in this case at the same instant that the clock should have started. If it is necessary for the two officials to confer in this case to reach this conclusion, and then put some time back on the clock, I would say that they would definitely be justified in doing so.

If the clock must start, and then stop, then the timer is allowed lag time to stop it.