And?

Lively discussion is the purpose of every thread.

To expound on this.

1) There is no correctable error because a merited free throw was shot by the correct shooter.

2) There is no violation by the defense because the officials directed them to clear the paint.

3) There is no specific rule or case play that covers this exact situation.

Therefore, this is where the crew has to come up with a common sense, best for the game solution. Whether or not the coaches agree, argue, threaten to protest, or tell you they don't want to hear about rule 2-3 shouldn't change how the play is adjudicated.

Make a decision and be prepared to tell the coaches this is the final answer and there will be no ongoing debate.

Ehhhhhh...unfortunately, Washington does allow a coach to file a protest if a rule has been misapplied or set aside. As I said before, I don't think a protest of this situation would go very far here, but there would probably be one. So there would, again unfortunately, be some ongoing debate.

In the majority of the protests I am aware of, the WIAA has backed the officials. The few I know of that were overturned were pretty easy things that got kicked badly...and it seems most were in football, not basketball.

So note the protest and go on. There still hasn't been a misapplied/set aside rule here. An official's mistake, yes, but not a misapplied rule.

The "debate" I'm referring to is the back-and-forth with the coach at the time of our (crew) ruling. We can't let a coach's reaction be a determinant in our ruling. After the fact crew chief would have to provide a report, after which the chips will have to fall where they may.

Seems to me that if they had actually wiped out the FT and made the kid re-shoot, then THAT would have opened up an actual misapplied rule that could result in an accepted protest.

Yep.

Makes for some interesting situations every now and then.