Finish with one? Throw-In?

[Mark Dexter]

Originally posted by just another ref

We had a big debate on this issue recently on one board or the other. My opinion was that if you had only one player on the floor, this rule goes out the window. Others disagreed.

Have to disagree - the one player team more than likely put themselves at a disadvantage by fouling out, and I'm not going to give them a "bonus" by doing so. (If, however, all but one player has been injured, I'm probably suspending the game!)

Which brings up the question: If you had a player who only had one leg, would it be possible for him to obtain legal guarding position?

Yes, for two reasons. First, the requirement to have "both" feet on the floor implies that you have two feet to place on the floor, which obviously can't happen in this case. Second, the front page of the rule book states that the rules should be interpreted to "make reasonable accomodations for disabled athletes." There's nothing unreasonable about making it so that this player doesn't get called for a block every time A1 comes in and clears him out to the floor.