So I went to a high school basketball game with a friend. Since it was packed, we ended up sitting behind one of the benches (away team based on seed). A foul was called that was putting the home team at the free throw line. During a timeout (may have been a mask break) before the free throws, an assistant coach for the away team asked his team who was going to untie there shoes? Coming out of the timeout the coach then told the kid to let the ref know he needed to tie his shoe. It was a two shot foul, and the kid could have tied his shoe during the first free throw. Instead the ref held up the second free throw to let the player tie his shoe. I imagine an attempt to ice the shooter. I have never even seen/heard of a coach/team doing something like that before. I had no skin in the game, but I was trying to decide if that was unsportsmanlike or gamesmanship…thoughts?
Unsportsmanlike or Gamesmanship?
BS in my opinion. Literally the coach asking that is teaching kids not to play the right way.
Honestly if somebody on my bench did that I’d be embarrassed.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Do you mean for high school basketball or any level of basketball?
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I hate to see a player put his arms up at the FT line and as the opponent is shooting a FT they then let their arms fall down as the shot is released ....
bush league .....JMHO
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
For some reason I can't edit my post.
I don't have a problem with it, it's gamesmanship but it could have the exact opposite effect they were looking for. Instead of icing the shooter, they are giving him time to rest and relax and regain his concentration. When I played basketball in high school, our coach had us shoot free throws after running around for 2.5 hours and his reason was because it's much harder to keep your concentration and therefore form when you're tired. And free throws are more important at the end of the close game.
Therefore, by taking an official time out to tie shoes, they are giving the shooter time to relax, catch his breath and regain his concentration. Bad move, IMO. Did the shooter make it after they did that?
This was my reaction at first, but didn’t know if it was do to my age (46). Hence putting it out to get others reaction!
I don’t think that it is appropriate at either level…can you imagine how this would set Juwan off!
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
I don’t think that it is appropriate at either level…can you imagine how this would set Juwan off!
I was kind of thinking about that when I read the initial post then IllinoisVarsity posted about playing the game right. I don't really know what that means anymore. Was Howard playing the game right when he has is first team in against Wicsonsin's subs? Was Gard playing the game right when he called a timeout with seconds left to reset the 10 second clock? Could Gard have taught that "teaching moment" when they were reviewing film the next day instead of calling the timeout?
Anyway, I don't have an issue with it as you described it and I think it can backfire like I described in my post a few posts up from here. But that's just me. I'm 55 so it's not an age thing.
I was kind of thinking about that when I read the initial post then IllinoisVarsity posted about playing the game right. I don't really know what that means anymore. Was Howard playing the game right when he has is first team in against Wicsonsin's subs? Was Gard playing the game right when he called a timeout with seconds left to reset the 10 second clock? Could Gard have taught that "teaching moment" when they were reviewing film the next day instead of calling the timeout?
Anyway, I don't have an issue with it as you described it and I think it can backfire like I described in my post a few posts up from here. But that's just me. I'm 55 so it's not an age thing.
In regards to the Michigan-Wisconsin fiasco, I look at it like this. If you are leaving your starters in, you are still playing the game vs conceding. In that situation, the other coach has every right to continue to play the game. Therefore, I see no issue with Gard's TO. Now I would have an issue if Juwan had cleared his bench, and Gard took the TO to avoid the 10 second violation! Hell, I believe Underwood has taken a shot clock violation with his starters still in the game a couple time this season because of the score.
On the untied shoe incident, I really have an issue with it the more I think about the situation. The team that did it, had muliple TO left, and if you really want to ice the shooter, use one of those. No need to involve the kids in the situation. If I recall correctly, it was the 4th Q and the team that pulled this stunt was up double digits!
As far as it backfiring, I don't know that I agree. I really think that it depends on the shooter, remaining time and score, and exhaustion level.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
I agree with your assessment on the Michigan-Wisconsin fiasco (great adjective for it!).
I agree with your last two sentences, I was merely saying that it could backfire by giving them an opportunity to rest. You're right, a lot more goes into it than just the resting part.