NFHS Basketball Timeouts- Get it right!

I remember it as if it were yesterday. While watching the Laker game at home, my phone rang. The voice on the other end sounded familiar. It was Bob Munching, a legendary state-level varsity basketball official who reffed my games growing up, and he gave me an opportunity that would change my life.

I was invited to officiate at a local Varsity Boys’ Basketball AAU tournament at Redlands High School. I told him I was concentrating on my first head coaching job at a high school, but I would keep it in mind.

He convinced me that officiating would make me a better coach. At the time, I rejected that sentiment, but later on in the process, I realized that knowledge was true. He told me to call him if I ever wanted to take up his offer, and I agreed to consider it.

After watching the Laker’s game and paying attention to the officials, I felt prompted to learn more about officiating. That week I called him back and that Saturday I was on the court with yelling fans, coaches, and high-flying boys’ basketball players. My officiating expedition had commenced.

During the game, I spent a lot of time just watching the game instead of officiating it.

Bob and I would discuss things that would make me a better official at time-out and halftimes. I acknowledge what he was saying, but it just didn’t synch up very well with my performance on the court. Bob was calm under pressure, and it was intriguing.

It was the fourth game, and I started to get fatigued. Back then I didn’t just didn’t have that officiating and Army fitness conditioning.

As the blue team point guard dribbled up the court, the red team on defense pressured him into the corner. It just so happened that I heard the red team head coach yell what I thought was time out. I turned around and called time out for the red team.

Both teams walked to their bench, and I didn’t think anything of it. Standing above the center circle, Bob gets my attention to come over. He looked directly at me and said, “You called timeout for the team that didn’t have the ball.” I stared at him, confused.

After turning around, I looked at the teams as if an answer might come from there. I turned back around to him and asked him to clarify the rule.

In all my years of playing basketball, I never even thought about following these common rules. I know it sounds silly, but I could shoot the three, but my rules IQ wasn’t very high.

After the game, he sat me down and opened the NFHS rule book, and gave me one of my first rules lessons and it was on time outs.

• Because the time-out was erroneously awarded (5-8-3), it must be administered. In view of the time-out being granted to the Red Team, the Blue team may make use of it. The Red Team cannot revoke this timeout, and they will be charged for it. Blue will get the ball back to resume play.

• If the official stopped the clock but did not give the time-out realizing the error, this is an “inadvertent whistle.” The play would be resumed from the point of interruption where team A is in possession of the ball.

Here is an example

SITUATION E:

A1 is dribbling the ball in his/her backcourt when: (a) the Team B head coach requests and is erroneously granted a time-out by an official, or (b) the Team A head coach is yelling “side out” offensive instructions to his/her team and the official stops play believing the coach requested a time-out.

RULING: In (a), Team B is entitled to use the time-out since it was requested and granted; once granted it cannot be revoked and is charged to Team B. All privileges and rights permitted during a charged time-out are available to both teams. Play will resume with a Team A throw-in nearest to where play was stopped. In (b), an inadvertent whistle has occurred. Team A was not requesting a time-out, and therefore, should not be granted or charged with one. Play is resumed at the point of interruption. (4-36-1, 4-36-2a)

These are some of the concepts that I learned over the 15 years of mentoring me before he passed away.

Can I get another time-out ref?

Successive time-outs, as in 4-43-2, shall not be granted after the expiration of playing time for the fourth quarter or any extra period. In all other instances, they shall be administered in the order in which they were requested.

I have no Timeouts Left, now what?

Time-outs in excess of the allotted number may be requested and shall be granted during regulation playing time or any extra period at the expense of a technical foul for each, as in 10-2-3

Player is airborne

A1 or A2 requests a time-out: (a) while airborne A1 is holding the ball; (b) while A1’s throw-in is in flight toward A2; or (c) when the ball is on the floor at A1’s disposal for a throw-in. The request is granted in (a) and (c), but denied in (b), as there is no player control while the ball is loose between players.

Ball on the floor during a throw-in

Following a time-out, both teams are at the sideline with respective coaches after all signals have been given prior to a throw-in by Team A. Team A or Team B requests a time-out: (a) before; or (b) after, the official places the ball on the floor at the throw-in spot. In (a), either team may be granted a time-out. In (b), Team A may, but Team B may not be granted a time-out after the ball is at A’s disposal.

Ball in flight

Don't call time out period. A player must be in control of the ball for a head coach to be granted a request for a time-out.

Airborne Player over end line or sideline

NFHS Rules allow a Player to call time out while airborne over an out-of-bounds area.

Both Teams Request a Time-Out

By rule, (5-3-8) a time-out is charged to BOTH teams and these run concurrently (at the same time). This applies if both teams needed to utilize a time-out to keep an injured player in the game. If one team only has a 30-second time-out and the other has a 60, then both teams benefit from the full minute time-out.

Rule reference

SECTION 11 CHARGED TIME-OUTS

ART. 1 . . . Three 60-second and two 30-second time-outs may be charged to each team during a regulation game. Each team is entitled to one additional 60-second time-out during each extra period. Unused time-outs accumulate and may be used at any time. NOTE: State associations may determine the number of electronic media time-outs for games which are transmitted and may reduce the number of charged time-outs.

ART. 2 . . . A single 60-second time-out charged to a team shall not exceed one minute and shall be conducted within the confines of the time-out area. A warning signal for the teams to prepare to resume play is sounded with 15 seconds remaining. Such a time-out shall not be reduced in length unless both teams are ready to play before the time-out is over.

ART. 3 . . . A single 30-second charged time-out shall not exceed 30 seconds and players shall remain standing within the time-out area. A warning signal for teams to prepare to resume play is sounded with 15 seconds remaining. No on-court entertainment should occur during this time.

ART. 4 . . . Only one 60-second time-out is charged (or one 30-second time-out, if that is the only type of time-out remaining) in 5-8-4 regardless of the amount of time consumed when no correction is made. EXCEPTION: No time-out is charged: a. If, in 5-8-3, the player’s request results from displaced eyeglasses or lens.

b. If, in 5-8-4, the error or mistake is prevented or rectified.

ART. 5. . . A time-out shall not be granted until after the ball has become live to start the game. The additional 60-second time-out provided for each extra period(s) shall not be granted until after the ball has become live to start the extra period(s).

ART. 6 . . . Time-outs in excess of the allotted number may be requested and shall be granted during regulation playing time or any extra period at the expense of a technical foul for each, as in 10-2-3.

ART. 7 . . . Successive time-outs, as in 4-43-2, shall not be granted after the expiration of playing time for the fourth quarter or any extra period. In all other instances, they shall be administered in the order in which they were requested.

ART. 8 . . . Time-outs simultaneously requested by opposing teams or those requested to keep players in the game that were directed to leave for injury/blood, as in 3-3-6 and 3-3-7 Notes, shall be granted, charged to the respective team and administered concurrently. When one team is charged with a 30-second time-out and the other a 60-second time-out, the duration shall be 60 seconds.

Stay tuned for a video on timeouts.