Granting Time-out: ".........Officials need to know the status of the ball and whether it is in player control. Having a full view of the player in control who is requesting the time-out is critical to determining if you may grant a time-out........"
Picture this: The setting is a summer basketball officials camp. The floor is full of talented players in a close and heated contest-even for a summer game competitive spirits are still very high, they want to WIN! A shot goes up, is missed, and the long rebound is secured by a defender. The trail referee "bails out" and heads down the floor anticipating a quick play at the basket, as the time is within 12 seconds. Uh Oh there is a quick steal, the play is staying. The new lead now is quickly returning to the old trail position he just bailed on. The lead moves out on the baseline to cover the "scrum" that has developed on the floor around the ball. He is literally ten feet from the play observing the players and the ball. The coach on that end is moving to the play and is yelling for time out. Suddenly, from forty feet away a whistle comes from the trail official who is running to get back in position. He grants a time out and stops the play! After the game, at the officials debrief in the huddle, the clinician asks the trail official who granted the time-out, "Did you see the ball when you granted the time-out?" The official had a "deer in the headlight" reaction. And, well if you have been in or seen a situation like this, you probably can guess what happened.
NFHS Rule 5 Section 8 Art. 3 a. "Time-out occurs and the clock, if running, shall be stopped when an official:.....Grants and signals a player's/head coach's oral or visual request for a time-out, such request being granted only when: The ball is at the disposal or in control of a player of his/her team." There are also other useful rules to consult in this situation including: player control, dribble, and fumble.
If you haven't been in this situation, odds are you will be at some point. Knowing when to properly grant time-out, and then doing so, is a skill a good official will always have. It is no secret in today's game, that the time-out is now a tool/tactic used by coaches ( and players ) to manage situations on the court. It is not just a time for the coach to talk to his/her team. And, there are coaches at every level that have mastered the skill of using it.
The NFHS Points of Emphasis invites us this year to be mindful of procedures for correctly granting time-outs. Reading the paragraph written by the committee, in my mind, seems to emphasize two things; coaches being encouraged to give a verbal and visual signal in their request, and officials knowing that there is player control.
I am not totally sure we can directly control the way coaches request time-outs. We could mention it to them in our brief meeting while shaking their hand. One wonders if that piece of advice would even be heard given the circumstance. However, an official knowing the status of the ball is always within our ability on the court. We should know where the ball is, and its status, regardless of our position in the rotation. And, if we find ourselves in a temporary position when we don't know the status of the ball-we should probably refrain from making calls that require us to have complete knowledge, like the granting of time-outs.
I would suggest a few tips around the granting of time-outs. The first couple come from the mechanic books themselves. Know your proper positions on the court. Officials who are consistently in the correct positions whether lead, trail or slot are more likely to be in better positions to observe plays and know the status of the ball. Remember to move and improve your angles, but don't "migrate" far from the "Cadillac" positions. Once the ball is in your primary-make sure you are adjusting your position to see clearly through the play. We are reminded to be sure player control is part of the time-out call.
When you read the entire paragraph for the POE, the last sentence begins with, "It's vital to know the situation of the game, the proper sequence of calling a time-out......." Perhaps this becomes of even more importance applied to this scenario. It is not a stretch to assume that in the closing seconds of a tie/close game coaches are going to want a time-out on any given possession. This is something the crew needs to talk about not only in pre-game, but in the last minutes of games when you have a time-out and you can come together briefly. In that instance remind each other of scenarios so that awareness is increased. In other words, keep your head in the game and don't get caught back on your heels on a call like this in the first place.
Each night we strive to be the best team on the floor, and to get the call right. Knowing how to apply the rule is just as important as knowing the rule.
