Simultaneous Timeouts
 

Had a situation last night where player A1 was about to attempt his first free throw of 2. Before the first one, Coach A tells me I want a timeout if he makes the second one. I tell him, no problem Coach, "signal it when he makes it for me"

He makes the 1st free throw. Before the second free throw, I hear behind me Coach B yelling "Give me a timeout if he makes the second" I turn around and say "Signal it if he makes it"

Of course he makes it. Sure enough both coaches have their hands in the air, both are above their heads, calling a timeout. My partner, who is the R, wants to just give it to one team, but I tell him we can't ignore their obvious signals and by rule they are both charged with a time out.

After the game, my mentor compared it to a multiple foul, he said just pick the team who called it first and go with that. What say everyone? Is that a good analogy?

2010-11 Interps:

SITUATION 5: Team A scores a field goal. A1 requests a time-out from the lead official at the exact same time that the head coach from Team B requests a time-out from the trail official. RULING: Both teams are charged a time-out. If both request a 30-second time-out, the time-out duration shall be 30 seconds. If one team requests a 60-second time-out and the other a 30, the duration shall be 60 seconds. Once a time-out is requested and granted, it shall not be revoked. (5-8-3b)

(In practice, I agree with your mentor, though.)

I like charging them both. One less TO that can be used later in the game.

2013-2015 Officials Manual p.39 2.4.4 Time-outs:
A. General Provisions:
11. If opponents simultaneously request a time-out during a dead ball, charge a time-out to each (or better, hear or see one request before the other).

If you are going to have a simultaneous timeout, this is about the perfect situation in my opinion because you are certain that both were requested at the same time (as soon as the basket was made).

I agree. In the normal course of the game, "simultaneous" timeouts are not really simultaneous and I would agree with the mentor above who said give it to the one you saw first.

In THIS case, both warned you and both probably had their hands up before the basket - by definition both are at the same exact time. Simultaneous - charge to both.

Had a coach between foul shots in a varsity boys tournament game use all 5 of his timeouts with 0.1 left on the clock and his team ahead 1.never seen that before.

Bob, in this situation who are you going to charge if you are only going to charge one timeout? What is your thinking on this? sure I think in most situations, see and grant one before the other. But this is about as perfect as you can get for the case play to handle fairly IMO.

Whichever one asked me first (or if it's a blow-out, the team that's ahead).