NOTE TO READER: I have to issue my disclaimer again, I am not an expert on the rules of basketball, so what you read next may have some "tongue in my cheek!"
IMAGINE THIS; ( I say that because frankly, I've never heard of anyone that has seen this! ) You are beginning to administer a throw-in to resume play after a held-ball. You have designated the spot, the player is ready for the hand off/bounce, you take one last glance at your partners and the court, and just for safe measure you remind the defender to not strike the ball or the player out of bounds. You hand/bounce the ball to the player, step back a step or two, and begin the visible but silent five count for the throw in. And then, what to your wandering eyes should appear, but the thrower extends the ball forward across the boundary into the playing court. And, and an exceptionally bright-or possibly just real lucky defender-grasps the ball, and all of sudden we have four hands on a live ball, in bounds on an alternating possession throw in. You put air in your whistle!
OK! Everything has gone according to plan to this point. Now, the whole gym is looking at you and you have got to make the call. What is going through your head? Probably the same thing going through a bunch of heads, "How did that happen?" And, what is going to be done about it. We got a whistle.
So now you start thinking, it looks like a held ball. But wait a minute, something is just wrong with this picture. I know I've got a live ball, I know it looks like a held ball. So, I'm going with a held ball. So, up go the thumbs. It is almost automatic. And, not a correctable error by the way.
All right! Now, I have the held ball, what is my next instinct? Look at the arrow! OK, I got the arrow, it says I'm staying, but wait a minute, that was a held ball throw in, so is that right? Maybe a partner can help, so you look. Oh boy, deer in the headlights. This is not going to be smooth. And, doggone it, there is a supervisor on the fifth row. Oh, I know, when not sure, come together as a crew, talk about it-get it right.
Now, we come together. What do you have? Did the arrow change? No, there was no chop. Oh, OK, well the arrow says we are staying-yeah-wait that was an alternating possession throw in, you called a held ball we got to go the other way! Well yea, but one guy was out of bounds. Huh? Yea, the guy just held it, he was out of bounds. Well, do we have a held ball? Well, sort of, except one guy was out of bounds. Well, don't both guys got to be in bounds? Yeah, but he wasn't. Yep, he sure wasn't. Well he hit the ball, is that violation or technical? No, he just grabbed it. And, it was in bounds? Yeah, it was inbounds. OK, well, I think I remember, we got a live ball, it was tied up, so we go to the arrow and we're going the other way. Yeah, but the arrow did not change, we did not have a chop or legal touch in bounds. Oh yeah, you're right!
While the event is certainly rare, or even non-existent, you probably can appreciate some the discussion, that would have gone on in the huddle. As referees, we get paid to get it right. But, some times, especially when the event is just that weird or the rule that obscure, sometimes we have to just reach deep for the answer. And, when the event we witnessed is out side of our experience-that is when we have to be prepared with deep knowledge.
Everyone reading now knows that this particular occurrence is addressed, at both high school and the college level. Let's take the NFHS Casebook explanation on this one its a little shorter. Here it is; "6.4.5 Situation B: During an alternating-possession throw-in, thrower A1 holds the ball through the end-line plane and B1 grabs it, resulting in a held ball. Ruling: Since the throw-in had not ended and no violation occurred, it is still A's ball for an alternating-possession throw-in. (4-42-5)"
Now, back to the huddle. OK guys I got this. We got a held-ball, but not a completed throw-in. So, we're staying! Are we good? Yep, got it! So you step at from the huddle, and in your most serious of basketball mechanics, you motion at the table that we are staying, and the team that had the ball is going to get another crack at it! And the fans and the other coach go NUTS! And, you notice the supervisor is writing on his pad! Holy Cow!
Interesting, is it not. I mean has anyone thought this one through just yet. OK, here it is, the rule book gives this situation a real break. You just called a held-ball, and put the ball back in play to the team that had the throw-in to begin with. And, yes when you called the held ball, the team's player that you are giving the ball back to was out of bounds when you called the held-ball. And, in all likelihood, you give it back to the same player at the same spot.
I was not around when the rules committee/s put this one in place. But, I bet it was just plain fun to watch the twisting and turning discussion on this one. Really, how many different views would there have been? How did they get past the player being out of bounds part? Why does the team retain the possession? Was a disadvantage created? Who is being penalized for good play here? How many times did this happen before they put something in the book? How many times has it happened since it was put in?
I am not smart enough to make a judgment on this. I don't know why it is the way it is. But, if it ever happens to me, I hope I get the call right!
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