I am new to the officiating side of hoops. Coached the last 7 years and was watching a varsity game last night and was asked an interesting question by a guy I used to coach with that I could not answer confidently.

Team A is down in the final minute and are subing off and def players. Team A scores a basket and calls timeout. Team A subs def players. Team B inbounds after the timeout and trys to go long and hits the ceiling. Team A gets the ball and subs their off players back in. The question to me was is that allowed since no time came off the clock. I said yes because there was a violation. Is that correct? FYI the subs were allowed in the game.

Thanks

A player who is removed, or who is directed to leave the game must remain out of the game until the next opportunity to substitute after the clock has properly started.

Chuck

The stipulation of the clock starting only applies to those players that have been replaced due to injury or equipment problems. Otherwise they are allowed to sub.

Mregor

Thanks...so if I understand you correctly this sub was ok

The subs are <u>not</u> legal.
Look at Chucks reply.
Chuck is correct as usual.

It is amazing that no one picked up on this and said something.

This is pretty hard for an Official to do unless they know the players or their numbers quite well. Let's put that one on the table or assistant coaches.
We can enforce it, but to notice that from the floor we'd have to be very lucky.

To be honest, I did not think anything of it and I was watching the game trying to learn. It was the coach sitting next to me who picked up on it. The only reason the officials could have know was the Team A was subing 4 guys at a time.

If you think about what caught you friend's attention, I would bet it was a memorable player. :)

Another Illegal Sub situation
 

Caught a coach pulling a sneeky one the other day. Not sure what the purpose was. Rebounding maybe??

Bonus situation; front end of the one-and-one; subs come in; those leaving speak to coach and immediately go to the table for re-entry; first shot is made; coach wants his players back in the game; clock has not run ==> you cannot re-enter; second shot is made and coach again wants his players back in the game; clock has not run ==> players cannot re-enter.

Why would the coach be doing this?

My guess is the coach was mostly just trying to talk to his players as though in a time-out. My other guess is that he didn't know the rule, so he wasn't really trying to "pull a fast one", just trying to take advantage of a situation. Most coaches I know will get their kids to the bench and either wait for them to be whistled in, or get a time-out if it is urgent.

Roger, that's not true. The rule applies to all re-entering subs.

3-3-4
A player who has been replaced, or directed to leave the game shall not re-enter before the next opportunity to substitute after the clock has been started properly following his/her replacement.

Bingo! Winner!
 

You are right Tony, BBRef, and that is why I started to make my reply ... then got carried away with a different situation.

I'll try a little harder to stay on topic - stay in the game.