Isn’t a shoot! But …

Sooner or later, we were sure it would happen! The ball is deflected out of bounds, the game resume with 7red throw-in with 19” frozen on the shot clock. The ball in flight to the basket touches the ring then bounces twice on the floor before it been caught by 12red. The shot clock operator starts the countdown for red team from 19”. Right or wrong?

This case is similar to the one explained in FIBA Official Interpretations (17-30), but the interpretation are not complete and probably wrong in some indications. They didn’t cover the spectrum of situation which may be occur: as usual we try to describe all the possible scenarios and we found a tricky one.

When the ball hit the ring, nor clock, game & shot, have to start! But, if the interpretations provide that the shot clock operator shall not reset his clock, until the game clock starts and he must reset the shot clock to 14/24 when one team gains the control of the ball, the interpretation didn’t cover the case when the ball touches or is touched by a player whose not establish the control of the ball. By rule the shot clock start when the ball touches/is touched: art. 50.1 2nd dot! Then reset when the ball is controlled by one team: FIBA OBRI 17-30. It seems very difficult to apply, especially when few seconds are displayed.

We think that as during a field goal, a pass or any other situation, live ball, if the ball touches the opponent’s ring the shot clock must be reset and where is possible with no display visible, including the throw-in case.

From a throw-in A in frontcourt, the ball touches the opponent’s ring:

  • The shot clock must be reset “blank”
  • The game clock starts when the ball touches or is touched by a player
    • The shot clock starts from 14” if team A control ball in his frontcourt
    • The shot clock starts from 24” if team B control ball in his backcourt
    • The shot clock starts from 24” if team B control ball in his frontcourt
    • The shot clock starts from 14” if team A control ball in his backcourt … and if the referees didn’t call a ball returned to backcourt!

In many situations, likes in the clip, touch and control are simultaneous.

If you enjoy you make the other cases when the throw-in A is in his backcourt