3 person mechanics

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Ralph Stubenthal
How does it work in 3 person mechanics? In high school 3 person mechanics I am told that you don't switch on a foul which causes the ball to go the other direction ie. a foul by the offense in the front court.

That's not always true. The purpose is to avoid the long switch, from old L at one end to new lead at the other. We've never used it if the foul was tableside, which would just require the L to become the new C, not the new L.

So in a situation where there is a foul committed on one end and foul shots will be taken on the other end of the court, I assume there will be no switch after the foul is reported but then, what are the positions that the 3 officials take up on the other end to set up for the free throws? I am assuming that the 3 officials just move down the court the same way that they would if the ball had changed hands and went the other way.

No, your assumption is incorrect. When an official calls a foul that requires FTs, he ALWAYS moves to C. Subsequent action may cause him to have to switch again, but intially, he always goes to C. He does not stay where he was.