Throw In Location in Backcourt After Time
 

Need a little help here. I officiated youth through varsity high school basketball for about 6-10 years...granted that was 12+ years ago but I've managed to keep abreast of most of the major rule changes to this level of hoops.

Yesterday I was at the tail end of 7th grade boys game at my daughter's school. Her classmates team was down 1 with .9 seconds remaining in the game. The opposing team was shooting 1 and 1 and missed the first shot. Our team rebounded and attempted to call timeout but the buzzer sounded. The officials granted the timeout, that was requested under the opposing team's basket, and had .5 seconds put on the clock. They then put the ball in play at half court. One of our kids, a neighbor of ours, put up a prayer that circled around the rim and almost went in for the game winning shot. A few minutes later I went over some parents I know and explained to them the officials should not have put the ball in play at half court. Only the NBA has this rule.
I also talked to some of the boys after the game and told them that the ball should be put in play at the spot where the timeout was called.
Word got back to the mom/coach that I told the boys they shouldn't have won if the shot was made. I tried explaining to her that I just wanted the kids to know the correct rule. Now she's telling me that the official has the option of putting the ball in play at half court and she's pissed because she thinks I don't know the rules and made the boys feel bad.

What is the specific rule in the book that applies to this situation? I'm thinking it's:

7-4 The ball is awarded out of bounds after:
ART. 4 . . . The ball becomes dead while a team is in control, provided noinfraction or the end of a period is involved, as in 7-5-3a.

7-5 ART. 3 . . . Designated out-of-bounds spot throw-in nearest to where the ball became dead:

Can someone help me out? Thanks!!!

You are correct - it's an NBA rule. I suppose it could be a league rule; however, I doubt it.

If you're playing with NFHS rules then your references are correct: 7-4-4, 7-5-3.

No league rule but now I'm the bad guy for making the kids feel bad by explaining them the correct rule. The refs almost screwed one team and gave another false hope.

Zen and the Art of Officiating Basketball
 

I can't recall, is that the INTENT of a youth sports official, or the EFFECT? :D

"Screwed"? Not really. They weren't awarding points here. Yeah, it's a mistake, but they wouldn't have screwed anyone.

As for the kid feeling bad, don't feel bad about some mom screwing up a game of telephone.

I'm sure the officials didn't do it on purpose, so chill out.

You have to remember that the 7th grade level is where new officials break in and I'm sure they are using what they remember seeing on TV.

FWIW, it's not just the NBA that has such a rule. FIBA moves the throw-in to the frontcourt similar (but not exactly) to the NBA following a timeout in the last two minutes of the game.

Hard to believe that they would make such a mistake.

W/ .5 seconds left placing the inbounds in the front court in a small gym creates an advantage. No way the shot could even hit rim if put in play in the backcourt. Keep in mind it was my neighbor kid that almost made the shot. Problem is that until somebody tells them they'll keep making the same mistake. The two officials have been doing youth basketball for a while and should know better.

They wouldn't be the first youth officials to operate under assumptions from television. Screwed is still harsh. The other team still needs to play defense.

You could contact whoever assigns these games and express your concerns. You'll probably get an invitation to put the stripes back on.

FYI, the NBA doesn't move it to halfcourt...it gets advanced to the 28 foot mark in the frontcourt.

Besides that, everything else you said is correct.

Don't you believe it. If others believe that, it's their problem, not yours.

I've told this story here before, but I had a youth level game a few years ago where a coach tried to pull that NBA rule after calling a time out. I explained to him that only exists in the NBA, and he was cool with that, but another official from a previous game allowed his opponents to do it.

Bottom line: People don't know until they're told. You told them. There it is.

Thanks...Do I believe the officials did this intentionally? IDK...however when my hockey friends know the rule it goes to figure that a 45-55 year old basketball official should know the rule.

At the youth level, you never know what to expect, though.

One or two winters ago, I was at a 7/8 grade boys game. Team A is getting ready to shoot two free throws and the ball had not yet been given to the shooter for the first shot. Coach B wanted a time out.

Officials said no... coach couldn't request a time out until after the first shot. :confused:

I got ya beat. This is the call from an official that worked a State Level post season game. He called a Free-Throw lane violation before the ball was at the disposal of the shooter.:eek:

In about 5 years, she will be the fan yelling "3 seconds ref, 3 seconds...."