5 seconds after a shot

[Adam]

When is the proper time to begin the 5 second count after a basket. Had a sich the other night where B team scores and gets into a press. A-1 is right there at the hoop after the score, but gets onto the court and waits for A-4 to come from the frontcourt to take the ball. Trail official starts count about the time A-4 is getting to the 3-pt line, probably due to the fact that there were 3 players from A team standing around waiting for the 4th guy to run a long distance.
A's coach starts asking me why he started the count when his guy was on the other side of the court. The got the ball in in time, so there was no call and no necessary explanation. But it got me to thinking. My undertanding is to start the count when the players are available and the ball is at their disposal. But how is that practiced by most refs?

snaqs