Correctable Error: Incorrect Information by the Game Official.
 

A member of our (MTD, Jr., and me) association (Wood Co. Bkb. Off. Assn.) asked me for a ruling on a play that had been given to him by one of the three officials involved in the play during a VAR game.


The Play: A1 drives to the basket and is fouled (called by the L) by B1 during a successful two-point FGA. The L does not see that the FGA is successful and neither does the C or T (:eek:). The L reports B1's foul and does not score the basket (CE, and :eek:, :eek:). The administering official announces to the shooter and players in the FT lane spaces: two FTs. A1 attempts the first FT which was unsuccessful. While all of the other players stand motionless A2 grabs the rebound and shoots a successful two-point FGA. At this point the administering official realizes that A1 has a second FTA to shoot. The three officials huddle and decide to get help from the Scorer who tells them that A1's FGA was successful. The officials realize that their failure to award Team A two points for A1's successful FGA was a CE and that the CE Time Limit had not expired. The officials award Team A two points for A1's FGA. Therefore, A1 should have been awarded one FTA and since she was awarded and attempted only one FTA, A2's FGA for two points should also be scored. And that Team B should be awarded a TI anywhere along the end line in Team B's backcourt.


Our Secretary's question was: Were the officials correct?


We have contradictory (or dueling) Casebook Plays.

From the 2014-15 NFHS Basketball Casebook there are two CB Plays that apply to the OP. The first one is from Rule Two; the second one is from Rule 8 and is divided into three sub-situations with the first two addressing the OP and the first one also in direct conflict with the CB Play from Rule 2. they are:


2.10.1 Situation I: A1 is fouled by B1 while in the act of shooting and the try or tap is successful. The administering official erroneously awards and announces two free throws instead of one. A1’s first attempt is unsuccessful and B1 rebounds. Play continues briefly with B1 advancing the ball before the official recognizes the error and stops play. Ruling: Since A1 has attempted the merited free throw he/she was entitled to, there is no further correction to be made. Play shall resume with a throw-in by Team B at the out-of-bounds spot nearest to where play was interrupted. [R2-S10]

8.6.1 Situation (a) and (b): A1 is about to attempt the first of a one-and-one free throw situation. The administering official steps in and erroneously informs [the] players that two free throws will be taken. A1's first attempt is unsuccessful. The missed free throw is rebounded by: (a) B1, with all other players motionless in anticipation of another throw; (b) A2, with all other players motionless in anticipation of another throw. The officials recognize their error at this point. Ruling: In (a) and (b), the official's error clearly put one team at a disadvantage (players stood motionless and didn't attempt to rebound). Play should be ruled dead immediately and resumed using the alternating procedure. (R2-S3; R2-S10)


8.6.1 Situation (c): A1 is about to attempt the first of a one-and-one free throw situation. The administering official steps in and erroneously informs [the] players that two free throws will be taken. A1's first attempt is unsuccessful. The missed free throw is rebounded by: (c) B2, with several players from both teams attempting to secure the rebound. The officials recognize their error at this point. Ruling: In (c), both teams made an attempt to rebound despite the official's error and had an equal opportunity to gain possession of the rebound. Play should continue. (R2-S3; R2-S10)


From memory I "quoted" CB Play 2.10.1 Situation I, and MTD, Jr., "quoted" CB Play 8.6.1 Situation (a) and (b).

All of the CB Plays agree that no CE occurred because A1 attempted the correct number of FTs even though the administering official announced the incorrect number of FTs to be attempted. But we have a conundrum: CB Play 2.10.1 Sit. I does not state whether or not we have confused players, but CB Play 8.6.1 (a), (b), and (c) does state that we have confused players (and I should add, that its heading is: "Officials Provide Erroneous Information").

I will be honest in that I lean toward CB Play 2.10.1 Sit. I because I have an extreme aversion to the AP Arrow. But of CB Play 8.6.1's heading I would have to say that CB Play 8.6.1 (a) and (b) would be the governing CB Play.

MTD, Sr.

Youch! Considering the originally described play and each of the cases, I think I'd cancel the basket and go AP. Regardless of what happened, an official's error in communication lead to one team being at a distinct disadvantage. I'll take some heat from the coach, and I understand that, but I think I can defend those actions from 8.6.1 a), and b).

The original goal by A1 when he was fouled by B1 which was erroneously not counted is a correctable error and shall now be scored.
The second goal by A1 following the missed FTA is not scored as the officials clearly placed Team B at a disadvantage by providing incorrect information. This is not a correctable error. However, it is a mistake by the officials which has a specific remedy in the Case Book. That ruling should now be followed. Play is resumed with an AP arrow throw-in.

Since the 8.6.1case p;lays are specific about the number of players attempting to rebound and the 2.10.1 case play isn't, I'd assume (yeah, I know) that "all" the players attempted to rebound in the 2.10.1 play to make it consistent.

Go to the arrow in MTD's play.

No matter how many players try/don't try to rebound, if the official didn't count the basket and announced two shots, this is a free throw which is to be followed by another free throw. When it comes off the rim, this ball is dead.

You can certainly argue that position, but you will be fighting several NFHS case book rulings stating either that the officials mistakenly allowed the ball to remain live following an announced first FT or that the officials shall whistle the play dead. According to those rulings the ball doesn't automatically become dead if the officials aren't diligent. It certainly doesn't become dead if both teams attempt to rebound despite the erroneous information provided. That ruling is posted above in this thread!

The case plays have one important difference. It says erroneous information was given. In the OP, the failure to count the basket was the error, not the number of free throws. If the basket was not scored, two free throws were the correct number awarded. When the first was missed, the ball is dead.

I agree; despite my previous post.

Then, when the error of not counting the original try is correct, go to the arrow.

The way I see it, two correctable errors occurred. First, a score was erroneously canceled. Second, an unmerited free throw was awarded. By failing to count the goal, the official also awarded an unmerited free throw, even though that free throw never began.

Because the penalty for the personal foul was two free throws, the ball was to become dead after the end of the first free throw. When the officials correct both errors, play is to resume from the point of interruption with an AP throw-in because no goal, infraction, or end of period was involved when the game was interrupted.

The official telling the players two free throws was still an official's mistake. The previous error error of failing to score the try when the foul occurred does not make awarding two free throws now correct. It is not as if the official specifically waved off the basket and stated that the foul was prior to the act of shooting. He simply failed to inform the scorer to count the goal.

Despite the official telling the players that there will be two free throws, an unmerited free throw was never awarded. Verbally stating the number of free throws does not equate to actually awarding a free throw and making the ball live for it by putting the ball at the disposal of the free thrower.

The sin of omission in this case produces the same result. It is not that the official forgot to make the signal. None of the officials saw the shot go in, and apparently they assumed for some reason that it did not. This was indeed a perfect storm in that nobody at the table, and no player or coach inquired: "DOES THE BUCKET COUNT?" Player at the line with no basket scored, he is entitled to two free throws.

The official telling A1 that he/she has been awarded two FTAs is not a CE unless A1 attempts both FTs. Since A1 only shot one FTA then there was no CE of awarding an unmeritted FT. The CB Plays state that.

MTD, Sr.

It is my position that if the basket is not scored, awarding two free throws is not an error at all.

Your argument is tantamount to saying that one mistake justifies another. That is flawed logic and cannot be correct.

The truth is that mistakenly awarding an improper number of FTs is still an error, even if the official believes that he is doing so correctly.

It only becomes a CE if A1 does indeed attempts the second FT. And it can only be corrected, in the OP, if the CE of failure to award points is discovered before the CE time limit expires. The CE of failure to award points was discovered before the CE time limit expired and before the second FT was attempted.

MTD, Sr.

One mistake does not justify another. But one mistake often leads to another.
There are any number of reason why the basket may not have counted in the OP. (the foul was before the try...traveling after the foul, etc.) Any one of them could have been a mistake. The failure to signal the basket good and put it on the board is no different than any other mistake.


TWO SHOTS

C and T botched the play...table personnel could have saved them
 

The C and the T botched the play by not observing and communicating that the basket was good.

Score the basket on the initial field goal.

The first (of one) free throw was missed with neither team rebounding like they normally would. So, go to the AP.

Both coaches may be upset with the officiating crew. That said, any of the coaches, assistant coaches, table personnel could have seen that the reporting official incorrectly did not count the basket and signaled for two shots.

That is certainly the general rule but when errors are involved you need the whistle to tell you what to do and what you can do. Ex. A1 fouled in act. awarded 2 FT. One shot and missed. all forget a second shot due. B rebounds, goes down and scores. Then whistle blown, error recognized. It is correctable but we know the basket by B is not cancelled. Points scored before it recognized count. If A would have inbounded the ball after B basket the error wouldnt be correctable at all. B basket counts and A doesnt get its other free throw. All of this even though a free throw to be followed by another was missed. The whistle matters.

In the Op the whistle is blown at a time when the error of not counting the basket is still correctable. At the time the referee announced two shots he was correct. no goal had been scored. But once correction made, now it is counted. Turns out only one free throw was merited. It was shot but only one team attempted to rebound. Go to case play as nevada and mtd say.

What you describe is failure to award a merited free throw. This has nothing to do with the OP. In the OP, a player mistakenly grabbed a dead ball and put it in the basket. At this point the officials stopped the action and rectified the situation, though in my opinion more mistakes were made at this point.

Yes, that is what I described. Only to make the point that while the ball is supposed to be dead on a missed free throw when one is to follow, and the rule actually says that it is, it really isnt if the officials screw up and allow play to continue. I read one of your posts to mean once the first free throw was missed, nothing else that happened after that counted cause ball dead...or supposed to be.

There were a lot of mistakes that's for sure. Correctable errors are bad....

If the officials allow play to continue, that's different. In the OP, that didn't happen.

You have brought up and shown the dilemma in these situations. As you know, the ball is dead when we are certain the try will be missed. Ref didnt blow whistle then. Ball rebounded by A2, no whistle. Ball shot in basket. Then whistle. What is letting "play continue?" How much "play" is that? Is it "play" when only one team moves? In the Op, what if the ball is quickly inbounded by B1 after A2's quick rebound and goal and clock had started? Now it would be too late to correct the error of not counting the original goal? But nobody but A2 attempted to rebound...

In this OP, the rules could consider the rebound and put back "play." The game is stopped in time to correct the original error of not counting the goal. score that basket. Now it turns out that A1 is only entitled to the one free throw he just shot. Under regular CE rules you would also score the put back by A2 because points scored before recognizing the failure to count basket/error count. (the referees counted A2 put back, i think) But the administering official told them 2 shots...he was right when he said it but it ended up wrong and team B was prejudiced by it. they didnt rebound. The case play prevents all this from happening. As Nevada pointed out yesterday. Cancel A2 goal and go to arrow.

When it happens quick like this and only one team rebounds and you stop it, I think you can say it really isnt "play" and get to the same place. fix error and go to arrow. But, if both teams would have attempted to rebound, A2 gets it and scores, I believe that would clearly be "play." When the game is stopped you would count the original field goal. Count A2 put back and B gets end line throw in.
Moral in this mess. Pay attention...always....

Do you normally blow the whistle when one player steps in and grabs the ball off a missed FT when more are to follow? I don't. Pretty sure none of us would do anything until he threw the ball through the hoop.

Waive it off, the ball was dead, go AP. We are completely overthinking this thing.

If I'm L:

If s/he's "just catching the ball", then no -- but I usually get in there first.

If s/he's "rebounding" the ball, then I'm talking to him/her as it's happening and as I'm walking in (and trying not to get hit).

If I'm T or C, in the second part above, then I do blow the whistle.

Well, let me first say that, thankfully, when I say there are more to follow…there usually are…..

When no one reacts like this accept the one player you can get the right result pretty easily. But, the statement was made that it would not matter how many players tried to rebound the ball because the ball was dead the moment it was missed. When you are dealing with errors/ommisisons that isn't necessarily true.

If everybody tries to rebound this missed FT, A2 gets it, puts it back in, then referee puts a whistle on it and figures out they didn't count the original score, it is still correctable. The put back basket by A2 counts and B gets throw in on end line. you would not under the rules waive off that basket and go to the arrow.
Correctable errors do make me over think. I won't argue that...

If no basket was scored and two free throws are announced, I'll say it again. As soon as the shot is missed, the ball is dead.

If everyone knows better than the officials, and they all attempt to rebound, then the basket would count. I'll assume the officials would have hit the whistle at this point and made sure the previous basket was scored.

Everyone knows the basket should have counted AND it should have only been one shot? I can't swallow both of those things at once. Even if everybody goes after the rebound and A2 makes a quick put back followed by the whistle, it doesn't count. "The whistle doesn't usually cause the ball to become dead. It was already dead."

8.6.1C (quoted above) seems pretty clear to me on this issue. I don't see how the previous CE (the failure to credit a score) impacts the validity of this ruling.

The failure to credit the score is the error. If there was no basket, two free throws is not an error, correctable or otherwise.