Out of subs, and a DQ

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

There was actually an IAABO (not NFHS) refresher exam question on this about ten years ago. Please don't make me go and dig it out of my file, but is was something about a player missing the bus, and on route to the game. The IAABO (not NFHS) interpretation to this question was that the player's name was not to be written in the book. My local interpreter disagreed with this interpretation, and locally we still allow more names in the book than on the floor, but that may not be the correct IAABO interpretation.

I found this online today. It's from 2009-10:

Play #4 - Before the game the referee notes that there are 11 team members of Team A warming up. However, there are twelve names in the scorebook. When the referee asks the coach about this, he says that one player missed the bus. The referee orders the player's name and number removed from the book stating that an individual must be present to have their name entered in the book. Was the referee correct?

Answer: The referee was NOT correct. Although the definition of team member implies that the individual must be present to be entered in the scorebook, it was not the intent of the NFHS to prohibit the inclusion of individuals in the scorebook who may be late or may not show up. (References: Rule 3.2.1, NFHS Interpretation)

I ask if anyone else is showing up - especially when a team has few players on the court - to prevent handing out technical fouls later on. By the same token, when a scorekeeper - usally a kid - tells me "so and so" isn't going to play so I'm not putting them in, I tell them to put them in the scorebook. You never know what could happen. What if a fight breaks out and kid #14, 15 or even 16 on the bench has to play? To me it's a way of stopping trouble before it starts.

Which brings me back to the scenario of the coach saying "someone is in the locker room." Well, they're not on the bench and they're not in the book so why make touble for ourselves by waiting for this 'phantom' player?