North Texas Basketball Officials Association (NTBOA)

This week's discussion will focus on several unusual plays.

The official is in Team A's frontcourt when he/she is contacted by a pass thrown by A1 from Team A's backcourt. After touching the official, the ball: (a) goes out of bounds; or (b) rebounds to the backcourt where it is recovered by A2. Ruling: Touching the official is the same as touching the floor where the official is standing. In (a), the ball is awarded to B for a throw-in. In (b), the ball has been in the frontcourt and then has gone to the backcourt while in Team A's control. It is a violation for A1 to cause the ball to go from A's backcourt to frontcourt and return to backcourt untouched if A1 or a teammate is first to touch it after it has returned to backcourt. (9.2.2).

Three-tenths of a second remain on the clock in the second quarter. A1's throw-in is "caught" by A2, released on a try, and the officials count the basket. The coaches do not protest, the officials do not confer and all participants head to their respective locker rooms. Upon returning to the court with three minutes remaining in intermission, the opposing coach asks the officials if the basket should have counted since the ball was clearly caught and released with three-tenths of a second on the clock. The officials realize their error at this point. Ruling: the goal counts; this not a correctable error situation as described in Rule 2.10.

A1 is fouled in the act of shooting and the try is unsuccessful. As the teams line up for the free throw, a double technical foul is called on A2 and B2. Ruling: False double foul; the penalties are administered in the order in which they occurred. However, play is resumed after a double technical foul at the point of interruption. The shooting foul; play resumes from the second free throw (as if the double technical foul never happened).

Team A scores a field goal. A1 requests a time-out from the lead official at the exact same time that head coach from Team B requests a time-out from the trail official. Ruling: Both teams are charged a time-out. If both teams request a 30 second time-out, the time-out duration shall be 30 seconds. If one team requests a 60 second time-out and the other a 30, the duration shall be 60 seconds. Once a time-out request is requested and granted, it shall not be revoked. Rule 5.8.3.B.

A1 and B1 collide on the court and both appear to be injured and an official properly halts play and both coaches rush onto the court to check their respective players. However, A1 is ok and seems ready to play within a few seconds. Ruling: Both A1 and B1 must be removed as their coach came onto the court. The coach may also call a time-out to keep the player in the game. Please note, that if players from both teams are directed to leave the game because of injury, both teams must request and be granted a time out in order to keep each player in the game. Rule 3.3.7