North Texas Basketball Officials Association (NTBOA)

This week, in an effort to keep the game moving, we are going to review situations that require an official delay warning to be issued and if another delay occurs, the proper administration of a technical foul.

Rule 4.47 states a warning for delay is an administrative procedure by an official which is recorded in the scorebook by the scorer and reported to the coach:

Art. 1...For throw-in plane violations where per rule 9.2.10, the opponent(s) of the thrower shall not have any part of his/her person through the inbounds side of the throw-in boundary line plane until the ball has been released on a throw-in pass.
Art. 2...For huddle by either team and contact with the free thrower
Art. 3...For interfering with the ball following a goal
Art. 4...For failure to have the court ready for play following any time-out.

It is important to note that the first time any one of these delay situations occur, you have the scorekeeper make a note of it in the official scorebook. The second time one of these delays occurs, rule 10.1.5 shall be enforced. This rule specifically addresses team techncials. It states a team shall not allow the game to develop into an actionless contest; this includes the following and similar acts:

a. When the clock is not running consuming a full minute through not being ready when it is time to start either half.
b. Delay the game by preventing the ball from being made promptly live or from being put in play.
c. Commit a violation of the throw-in boundary-line plane after any team warning for delay.
d. Contact with the free thrower or huddle of two or more players in the lane by either team prior to a free throw following any team warning for delay.
e. Interfering with the ball following a goal after any team warning for delay.
f. Not having the court ready for play following any time-out after any team warning for delay.

The penalty for any of these delays is a technical foul resulting in two free throws plus ball for division-line throw-in. Note the intent of the rule is to give one and only one delay of game warning to a team. Once that warning is given for any of the 4 reasons, the next delay of any kind results in a technical. In other words the delay of game warning is 1 per team, not 1 per type of delay. However, be sure and use good preventive officiating and talk to the players and coaches to get them to comply with the rule so as to avoid giving technical fouls if possible.

Click Here for Rule Book Reference 4.47