max number of timeouts

Kansas Ref

Chris Whitten wrote
Had a game recently that went into multiple OTs. With each OT each team got an "additional" timeout, and one team eventually was back at 5 available. A senior official in our association who heard about our game said we need to be aware that 5 was the maximum allowable. I couldn't find anything in the book to back up his assertion. Anybody know where this can be found? Or was this a rule in days gone by?

Well this whole thing exemplifies the impact that lack of NFHS rules knowledge by even an esteemed senior ref has on perpetuating this myth. I'm glad we have this forum to dispel such myths.

[deleted]

Freddy wrote
Intent with this response is not in order to "outdo" the poster, with whom I truly sympathize re. 1:10 min. games.
Paid my way through college doing those kinds of games, except back then we had real jump balls. 1:10 woulda been a very short game back then. Closer to 2:00 was quite common. Happy for A-P arrow!

Stat-Man wrote
I think that's par for the course at this level. I had a CYO JV Girls #3 game (4th graders with possibly a couple of third graders) this afternoon. The visiting coach thought she got 3 full and 1 partial time out per half until my partner and I corrected her. 😮

For the first couple of timeouts, the teams were slow to come out. Thankfully, though, they got better as the game progressed. Our game went scoreless until there were 4 1/2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The final score: 2-1.

Our game took about an hour; it might still be going if we called everything the officials in the stands wanted called. 🙄

To stay on topic, I've never been aware of any cap on timeouts since I first became involved with basketball in the mid-80s. In fact, I remember a CYO game from about 2004 (before I officiated) where the game went into double OT and the home coach had yet to call a timeout, leaving her with 7--5 fulls and 2 partials--to use at her discretion.

I feel for you gentlemen. Additionally we only had a 3 minute halftime -- I did a boys Freshman game the other night that we completed in 57 minutes, including prayer, national anthem, lineups and a 10 minute halftime. In comparison this girls game was like pulling teeth. The score was tied with 2 minutes remaining -- we seemed destined for overtime and I had to will one of the teams to score. 😀 Had the same level girls game with different teams a few hours later and the game took 48 minutes. Go figure.

BktBallRef

Chris Whitten wrote
Had a game recently that went into multiple OTs. With each OT each team got an "additional" timeout, and one team eventually was back at 5 available. A senior official in our association who heard about our game said we need to be aware that 5 was the maximum allowable. I couldn't find anything in the book to back up his assertion. Anybody know where this can be found? Or was this a rule in days gone by?

There is no such rule, Chris.

Nevadaref

No such rule currently. This is where we really miss our friends such as Jurassic Ref.

Am I the only only one who occasionally cries after reading some posts for people such as Jurrasic and Mick even though I never met either one? 🙁

Both helped me immensly over the years.

BillyMac

Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. wrote
I am having oral surgery tomorrow morning.

I hope that the surgery is to permanently sew your mouth shut. Is there any way that the doctor can sew your fingers together so that you can't use a keyboard?

Nevadaref wrote
This is where we really miss our friends such as Jurassic Ref.

Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing. He would have put this myth to rest with a few "choice" words.

Mark Padgett

Our local kids rec league allows 3 full and 2 thirty second timeouts per game. They do not carry over into OTs (not that it ever mattered to me 😛 ). If there is an OT, each team gets 1 full for the OT, which is 2 minutes.

Rich

Nevadaref wrote
No such rule currently. This is where we really miss our friends such as Jurassic Ref.

Am I the only only one who occasionally cries after reading some posts for people such as Jurrasic and Mick even though I never met either one? 🙁

Both helped me immensly over the years.

Why would a "few choice words" help answer someone's question?

While I miss those guys myself, a kick in the ass here isn't really called for. It's a question that was asked and answered. The OP looked through the books, after all.

Adam

Chris Whitten wrote
Had a game recently that went into multiple OTs. With each OT each team got an "additional" timeout, and one team eventually was back at 5 available. A senior official in our association who heard about our game said we need to be aware that 5 was the maximum allowable. I couldn't find anything in the book to back up his assertion. Anybody know where this can be found? Or was this a rule in days gone by?

I would ask him for the rule reference so you can inform the coach why he doesn't get an additional TO in that next over time.

He won't be able to provide you one, but sometimes you have to ask diplomatically.

Or, you could just smile and nod, knowing that if you ever get to that point, there is no maximum.

constable

This is one thing FIBA does better imho. One timeout per team per ot period. It doesn't matter how many you didn't use. Also this year in the 2nd half yoou get 3 timeouts.. If you haven't used one by the time you pass the 2 minute remaining mark ode the 4th quarter you lose it.

I find this speeds up thehe game.

Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

BillyMac wrote
I hope that the surgery is to permanently sew your mouth shut. Is there any way that the doctor can sew your fingers together so that you can't use a keyboard?

Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing. He would have put this myth to rest with a few "choice" words.

Nevadaref wrote
No such rule currently. This is where we really miss our friends such as Jurassic Ref.

Am I the only only one who occasionally cries after reading some posts for people such as Jurrasic and Mick even though I never met either one? 🙁

Both helped me immensly over the years.

Why are you guys so mean? Somebody asked about the rule and I answered the question and gave the historical background. 🙁

MTD, Sr.

Adam

constable wrote
This is one thing FIBA does better imho. One timeout per team per ot period. It doesn't matter how many you didn't use. Also this year in the 2nd half yoou get 3 timeouts.. If you haven't used one by the time you pass the 2 minute remaining mark ode the 4th quarter you lose it.

I find this speeds up thehe game.

There is nothing about the FIBA timeout rules that I find better than NFHS, NCAA, or NBA. Our rules allow for more strategic use. I like that, but I'm used to it.

BillyMac

Rich wrote
Why would a "few choice words" help answer someone's question?

Because it was fun, even when I was the target of his "choice words". It was scary at first, but eventually I was able to read through the "rough stuff" and I ended up learning a lot from Jurassic Referee.

Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. wrote
Why are you guys so mean? Somebody asked about the rule and I answered the question and gave the historical background.

And I always learn a lot from Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s posts.

Mark Padgett wrote
Not that it ever mattered to me.

And I always learn a lot from ... No, I can't go through with it .. No, I can't do it ... Shut up Mark Padgett.