Situation I saw was with 3 seconds left in the game. Team A was going to put the ball into play from the base line after a made shot by team B. Team A calls time out. When both teams go back on the court, Team B throws the ball onto the court, making the ball bounce slowly towards mid court. Team A's coach instructed the team NOT to touch the ball untill it got to half court since the clock would only start after the ball is touched by a player inbounds. BUT, before anyone touches the ball, coach from Team B yells for a time out along with his players who are on the court.

Question is this.... (before i say what the ref did) Can that coach from Team B call time out before anyone touches the ball as it is bouncing on the court? No one is in possession of the ball at the time a TO is called and the clock is not running.

I am assuming you made a typo and team A threw the ball in after the timeout. After A1 releases the ball on the throw in there is no player control. Neither team may be granted a TO until a player of that team secures possesion of the ball FED 5.8.3

[Edited by MN 3 Sport Ref on Jan 30th, 2003 at 04:37 PM]

Isn't it a live ball once it's at the thrower's disposal, thus making any timeout request from the defensive team not recognizable? I'm looking for the live ball/dead ball definitions.

snaqs

Forget about who inbounded. Once the ball is loose, neither team can call TO. Must have player control to call a TO.

Now if the TO is requested after A has ball for throw-in and before ball is released, only A can be granted the TO. B cannot get a timeout after ball becomes live until they get player control.

Yes. Ball is live when it is in the hands of the inbounder.

The actual definition of a live ball in this situation is "when it is at the disposal of the thrower".