old rule question ( before 1980 )

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

I am not sure how far back this goes, I know when I was in school we had it.

You had to push the ball past a line ( I believe it was the 28 ft line ) on the offense every so often to keep teams from stalling.

What was the name of that line or the name of the violation if you didn't do it?

The rule was called: Lack of Sufficient Action (LSA). It was a seperate rule from Closely Guarded (CG) and the two rules had different criteria.

The LSA Rule will not be found in the Rules as written by the National Association of Girls and Women in Sports (NAGWS) and NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committees. LSA will only be found in the Rules as written by the National Basketball Committee of the United States and Canada (NBCUSC), NFHS, and NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committees.


LSA was in effect during the following situations were applicable to the team that was losing (defense or offense) if the score was not tied or to the defense if the score was tied. I climbed up into the attic and brought down the 1971-72 folder.

NBCUSC R4-S13(c): A team's mid-court is that part of its front court between the division line and a parallel imaginary line 28 feet from the inside edge of the end boundary to the nearer edge of the mid-court area marker. This imaginary line is located by two three-foot lines two inches wide measured from the inside edge of each side boundary and drawn at right angles to it.

NBCUSC R4-S18: Lack of sufficient action is the failure of the responsible team to force play as required by the Comments on the Rules.

NOTE (mine): Unlike today where the Comments on the Rules are addressed to the new changes made to the Rules, the Comments on the Rules (in The Ancient Days, ) were a permanent part of the rules that addressed how certain rules were to be applied; for years the complete definitions of Guarding and Screening were found not in Rule 4 but in the Comments on the Rules.

NBCUSC R10-(A. Technical Foul)-S2(c): A team shall not when behind in the score or while on defense with the score tied and after a warning by an Official, faling to be continuously aggressive in attempting to secure the ball if on defense or to advance the ball beyond the mid-court area if on offense and there is no opposing action in the mid-court area. See "Comments" forintepretation of "resonably active" and fore procedure foer administration.

Comments on the Rules:

LACK OF SUFFICIENT ACTION--

What contitutes lack of sufficient action: Lack of sufficient action occurs when the team responsible for action:

1. Permits the ball to remain in its mid-court areao for 10 seconds, during which time there is no opposing team in this area; or

2. Does not continuously and agressively attempt to gain control of the ball within 10 seconds while the ball is in the mid-court area of the opponents. If two or more players are in their mid-court area, at least two of the players of the team responsible for action must be in the area, one of whom must attempt to gain control.

Who is responsible to force action?

1. The team behind in score is respnsible for action. If the score is tied the defensive team is responsible.

2. After a team has been warned for lack of action, that team is in violation:

a. Each time it permits the ball to reamin in its mid-court area without opposititon for a period of 5 seconds;

b. Each time it does not continuously and aggressively attempt to gain control of the ball when the ball is in the mid-court area of the opponents for a periodof 5 seconds.

What is the penalty for lack of sufficient action? The penalty for lack of suffiicient action is a technical foul for each infraction of the rule. Repeated refusal to produce action may result in forfeiture of the game.

What is the procedure of official for warning a team? The officials shallwarn a team for lack of sufficient actioin by moving to a position clearly visible to the responsible team, pointing in the direction it should advance and calling, "Play Ball". Only one warning shall be giben to a teram each period. Extra periods are considered an extension of the fourth quarter or second half.


NOTE (mine): There were not Casebook Plays that I could find but years later the 10 seconds requirement was reduced to 5 seconds. The rule was removed when the NCAA Men's Rules Committee adopted a Shot Clock.

MTD, Sr.

P.S. And I do not remember if I have charged a team with TF for an infraction of this Rule, but I do know that I issued warnings.