Time out - know who has ball

Hawks Coach · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:05pm

Second straight week we had refs lose track of whose inbounds it was after a timeout. Both cases were time outs that occurred after we had forced a turnover and were getting ball OOB. One was a 5 second count that we forced, with the TO requested at when the ref was preparing to administer the inbound to our player. The most recent was after we made a basket then forced a wild pass in the back court that went off one of their player's hands and OOB. Again, TO was requested when we were preparing to inbound the ball.

In both cases, the ref looked really confused when we prepared to inbound the ball after the TO. The first he never got it right, saying that they had to have the ball to call timeout (ignoring the fact that the ball was dead). This weekend, we told him exactly what had happened and he still looked confused. He insisted that the other team was getting the ball because we just made a shot (why they had it a half court instead of running the baseline was yet to be explained) He went to his partner, she remembered and we got the ball. I was beginning to think this was going to happen every game!

Please remember to keep track of who had the ball when it is a timeout situation. Do a mental reset to be sure to get these things right.

Larks · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:23pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Hawks Coach

Please remember to keep track of who had the ball when it is a timeout situation. Do a mental reset to be sure to get these things right.

This is Ref School Stuff.....

I was taught if I have the ball at the spot that I should hold the ball in the direction of play. This way if my partner glances at me, he knows without having to ask exactly what were doing.

Example:

Side line....hold ball on your side against your hip in direction we're going.

End line going....hold ball in front. End Line staying...hold ball behind your back.

I was also taught for spot throw ins on the end line to keep feet together. Run of the baseline...keep feet shoulder width apart.

I know the "old guys" like JR do this. I was lucky to be taught the trick early on. Bad form to lose whose ball it is.

Larks - VIT

Troward · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:24pm

As a coach you could ask the official with every time out "Where is our inbounds spot?" this will put it into the mind of the official that it is your ball.

I suggest you tell your designated inbounder to to always line up next to the official for the inbounds at EVERY whistle, not just time outs, regardless of whose ball it is. With the officiating you seem to be getting you will proabably average at least an extra possesion per game.

DownTownTonyBrown · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:28pm

Official that will be adminstering the throw-in should go to the throw-in spot and hold the ball on the side of his body that it will be going (right side if the possesion is to the team going to his right, behind him if it stays on this end of the court, etc.) Of course consciously making a mental note works best and should still be done in addition to the physical mechanics.

I have found that this is an easy time to forget what is going on also.... Officials we need to make the mental note of which team gets the ball, which team called the timeout, can they run the endline, why am I standing here with the ball, who is our shooter, etc.

Yeah, I really am in the game coach. I'm awake.

Mregor · #5 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:30pm

The officials manual describes the mechanics for TO's. If the officials follow them, there should be no question. One official should be at the resuming play spot holding the ball in the resuming direction of play. The other official should be on the division line. This way, there is no confusion. How do you get them to use the proper mechanics is another topic that you'll have to answer on your own. A coach should not have to ask where the ball will be put into play or who will have it because they have enough to worry about in their 30-60 second TO.

Mregor

Hawks Coach · #6 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:33pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Troward
I suggest you tell your designated inbounder to to always line up next to the official for the inbounds at EVERY whistle, not just time outs, regardless of whose ball it is. With the officiating you seem to be getting you will proabably average at least an extra possesion per game.

I am assuming you meant to have a smilie here. I would never teach my players to do this. I'll take anything we deserve, but I have no intention of looking to take inbounds plays away from the other team.

I do teach my players never to assume the ref saw the OOB call (or any other call) the same way they did, but that is slightly different. And it works both ways with OOB. Sometimes we think it's off them and it's off us, and vice-versa, sometimes because they miss it and sometimes because we don't see the whole play. I don't expect my players to help the ref in these cases. But if it is the other team's ball, they get the ball.

We will earn our possessions.

zebraman · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:35pm

Larks post was right on. One more thing I do to make sure I never have a mental vacation in this situation is to get together real quick with my partner after the time-out is reported so he/she knows to. I.E. "Hey partner, we have white ball coming in after the time-out on the endline and white can run the endline." By doing what Larks says AND informing your partner too, there is a good chance that we'll get it right.

As a coach, Troward's suggestion was a great one. "Hey Ref, where is the inbounds spot for us after the time-out?"

Z

Larks · #8 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:45pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Hawks Coach

Quote:

Originally posted by Troward
I suggest you tell your designated inbounder to to always line up next to the official for the inbounds at EVERY whistle, not just time outs, regardless of whose ball it is. With the officiating you seem to be getting you will proabably average at least an extra possesion per game.

I am assuming you meant to have a smilie here. I would never teach my players to do this. I'll take anything we deserve, but I have no intention of looking to take inbounds plays away from the other team.

I do teach my players never to assume the ref saw the OOB call (or any other call) the same way they did, but that is slightly different. And it works both ways with OOB. Sometimes we think it's off them and it's off us, and vice-versa, sometimes because they miss it and sometimes because we don't see the whole play. I don't expect my players to help the ref in these cases. But if it is the other team's ball, they get the ball.

We will earn our possessions.

I've heard of people warning or issueing a T for unsportsman like for trying to "steal" a possession this way.

Jurassic Referee · #9 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 02:48pm

Quote:

Originally posted by zebraman
Larks post was right on. By doing what Larks says AND informing your partner too, there is a good chance that we'll get it right.

YUP! VIT nailed it.

MN 3 Sport Ref · #10 (**permalink**) Tue Jan 21, 2003, 03:05pm

I agree Larks and Zebra are right on.

Offical not calling TO has ball held in rlation to direction going. Then as To calling official is standing at his or her spot during the timeout simple eye contact and a directional point as well as a confirmation of on the spot or run the line is a good way to keep both oficials focused of the task at hand.

I also learned at camp that Larks trick w/ feet together or shoulder width works pretty well too once you get used to it.

This topic is a great aspect to add to the pregame you and your partner have before you step on the foloor. As Hawks painfully knows throwins after timeouts are a frequent spot of error by officials who are not focused.