Defense Delaying Free Throw
 

Situation: Team A is shooting 2 free throws, second half. Head Coach B tells all of his players to come to the backcourt, so he can speak with them. You're getting ready to administer the free throws. Do you...

1. Tell Team B you need two players in the front lane spaces, and wait for them,

2. Move things along by administering the free throw with a delayed violation (and repeating if missed), or

3. Penalize Coach B for delaying the game.

2 and 3 are not options.

1 is good game management (depending, of course, on the length of the "wait.")

By rule, it's a Team T.

See 10.1.5C(b) (last year's reference, in case it's changed)

10.1.5 SITUATION C:

The ruling official has reported the foul and *proceeds to his/her proper position for the first of two free throws awarded to A1. B1 and B2 are: (a) huddling in the lane; or (b) two B players are not occupying the first two marked spaces next to the end line as required.

RULING: In (a), if the huddle delays the officials' administration, Team B is warned. The *warning is recorded by the scorer and reported to the head coach. If Team B had been previously warned for delay, a technical foul shall be charged. In (b), Team B will be directed to occupy the required spaces. If there is delay, a team technical foul shall be charged to Team B. (4-47)

CB Play 10.1.5 SITUATION C(b) does NOT apply if the free throws being attempted are after end of a Time Out; then the Resuming Play Protocol applies.

It should be further noted that in C(b) if the reason that B1 and B2 have not taken their spaces is because B-HC refuses to let them take their positions then B-HC could be charged with the TF and not Team B.

MTD, Sr.

Agreed, but not relevant to the OP (since the coach "tells all his players to come to the BC" it's not after a TO).

Disagree.

Bob:

I know that the OP was not after a TO, but I mentioned the Resuming Play Protocol so that officials think that C(b) is applicable for all times that B1 and B2 refuse to occupy the require lane spaces.

First, in 43 years of officiating every time I have instructed players or a HC to release his players to occupy the required lane spaces they have complied. HC's have complained about it but they have complied, EXCEPT, one time when a HC told me in no uncertain terms that B1 and B2 would not occupy the required lane spaces until the second free throw was to be attempted, nor would any of his other players occupy the required lane spaces during the first free throw, and he then proceeded to tell his players to ignore my instructions to occupy the required lane spaces. I still believe that the TF I charged to the HC was the correct call.

MTD, Sr.