BASKETBALL MEMO #2

JANUARY 28, 2008

The 07-08 basketball season is flying by! As we head into the final couple weeks of the regular season, conference races may tighten up and every game becomes even more important. Hopefully everyone will be focused and continue to give their best effort every game. Tournament pairings and officials’ assignments are out subject to changes and substitutions as needed.

EJECTIONS----This is probably the best news of the year so far. We have only had three coach ejections and one player ejection to this point of the season. Obviously, there must be lots of great cooperation taking place between coaches and officials---let’s keep up the good sportsmanship and positive role modeling.

BENCH DECORUM---Considering the major changes made, it has gone surprisingly well for the first season. Coaches need to remember that if they are standing while the clock is not running---they need to be coaching their kids. That is not a time to be up criticizing or questioning officials. We have had several calls stating that some officials are refusing to allow a coach to be standing to instruct kids during the administration of a free throw. As long as the coach is communicating with players---this is perfectly legal---but must be seated again when the clock begins to run again.

SCORER’S BENCH PERSONNEL---The people manning that scorer’s table are considered to be game management and thus expected to behave in a positive and professional manner. This would include the scorer, timer, PA announcer, and scorebook people. These people need to remain neutral in their actions and refrain from cheering or making critical or negative comments to the officials. Please visit with the people at your scorer’s table---let’s try to avoid a situation where the officials would need to have someone replaced or ejected during a game.

ROSTER AND STARTING LINE-UPS---Coaches—please make sure you get your information turned in accurately and in a timely manner. Don’t place your team in jeopardy of a technical foul being assessed due to errors. Hopefully the person copying the names and numbers from the other team will take their time and make sure everything is copied correctly. It is not fair to penalize a coach or team for a mistake made in copying when they turned everything in correctly. If there can be any cross check or second look by the officials---let’s do that rather than have an error rear its ugly head at a crucial time of the game.

CLOSELY-GUARDED---By rule, the count is off once the offensive player gets her head and shoulders past the defensive player on a dribble or drive to the basket. There is nothing in the rules regarding the rotation of hips by the defensive player. Quite frankly, a defensive player probably rotates her hips frequently while sliding to continue guarding the player with the ball to create and continue a closely-guarded count. Officials---don’t make up your own terminology or theory---it will cause problems and get you into trouble.

HAND-CHECKING---The essence of the rule is that the defensive player is expected to play defense without placing her hands on the offensive player or dribbler. Officials need to be careful about the terminology used when questioned (don’t say that hand-checking is legal except for….). Realistically any time there is displacement or progress impeded, there needs to be a foul called. But hopefully coaches are not teaching their defensive players to place their hands on the offensive players in the first place.

PRE-GAME CONFERENCE---The pre-game meeting with the coach and captains of each team is a required activity regardless of the level of game being played. That conference should take place in a timely manner---it is not acceptable to conduct it just a few seconds before game time or to not conduct it at all. The information and instructions given in addition to the sportsmanship presentation is important.

TIME OUT ERRONEOUSLY GRANTED---CASE BOOK 5.8.3 SITUATION E----The official erroneously grants Team B a time-out in a situation when Team B cannot have one. What happens now? RULING---TEAM B is entitled to use the time-out since it was granted. The time-out once granted cannot be revoked and is charged to Team B. All privileges and rights permitted during a charged time-out are available to both teams. Officials----that’s why you need to hear AND SEE who is requesting the time-out before blowing your whistle to stop play. A verbal request could be coming from a fan seated several rows behind the team or from the wrong team! Once you have blown your whistle and stopped play, you have no choice but to go ahead and grant the time-out even if granted in error.

INTENTIONALLY THROWING BALL AT AN OPPONENT’S FACE---Situation---A1 has the ball out of bounds for a designated spot throw in. B1 is putting great pressure on the player with the ball and the count is at four seconds when A1 throws the ball striking B1 in the face. RULING---The administering official must make a judgment call taking several things into account. Was the throw-in to B1’s face purely accidental or was it a voluntary, planned act? Was the ball contact caused by movement of the defender jumping into the air or moving sideways? During actual playing action, was the offensive player falling out of bounds and just heaved the ball back in an attempt to make a save and keep the ball in play? If the judgment of the official was that it was an intentional act---then a technical foul should be assessed and depending on the severity, possibly even a flagrant foul called. If the official deems it was not done intentionally, then no foul would be called and play would continue. Coaches---please visit with your kids about never throwing the ball intentionally at the face of an opponent.

SIX PLAYERS IN THE GAME DURING PLAY---Just a reminder to officials---good preventative officiating includes quickly counting players on the floor from both teams prior to putting the ball in play---especially at the start of a quarter or following a time-out. If discovered while the ball is in play, it shall be penalized by a technical foul being assessed. Let’s try to prevent it from even happening by counting bodies whenever possible.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER LIMITATION---On a calendar day, if a player plays in 1-2 quarters, it counts as zero games; if she plays in 3-6 quarters, it counts as one game; and if she plays in 7-8 quarters, it counts as two games. A player is not allowed to play in more than eight quarters on one calendar day. Overtimes are considered as an extension of the 4^th quarter.

MUSIC---Rule 1-18 specifically states that the playing of music (includes pep bands) shall only be permitted during pre-game, time-outs, intermission between quarters or half, and post-game.

GUARDS/CASTS/SPLINTS---Rule 3-5-2a---“A guard, cast, or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable (soft) plastic, metal, or any other hard substance may NOT be worn on the elbow, hand, finger, wrist, or forearm---even though covered with soft padding.”

HAIR DEVICES---Anything worn in the hair other than a cloth headband must be soft and unadorned but may be any color or combination of colors.

STATE TOURNAMENT LINE PAIRINGS---The final ratings for the season will be posted on Thursday, January 31. The State Tournament line pairings will be posted on Friday, February 1.

Mike Dick

Associate Director