you can camp in there as long as you want so long as you dont impact play. As soon as you get the ball its 3 in the key. I saw a few guys setting screens in there after they had set up camp in there which is wrong as they are impacting on play.

Bigger fish, Wilson.

the " don't impact the play" interpretation of 3 seconds is a referee furphy that has been discredited many many times in australia over the last 3 decades.

Fiba rule
Three (3) second rule While his team is in control of the ball, a player shall not remain for more than three (3) consecutive seconds in the restricted area. Infraction of this article is a violation.


IF an individual ref runs to this " don't impact the play" interpretation ( particularly in the NCAA), then an offensive rebounder could set up under the ring for 10+ seconds if necessary, as in NCAA a 3 second call cannot be made after the ball has left a shooters hand.

IE the referee would then need to call a 3 second call every time an offensive player faked a shot while there was another offensive player within the zone who had been there for 3+ seconds, as it was seen as patently obvious that a single referee (of the pair or 3) could not be expected to both count the '3" AND watch the shooter AT THE SAME TIME, the interpretation usually gets reverted back to the correct only 2 "exceptions" interpretation - ie 1) the offending player is ACTIVELY trying to exit the key but is being prevented to do so or 2) they received that ball inside their personal 3 count and are now dribbling or pivoting/stepping to immediately shoot.

The fact is the NCAA and FIBA recognizes that an offensive player utilizing more than 3 seconds to set up their rebounding position before the shot release is gaining an advantage, so they are expected to call it .

http://phillyref.com/articles/basketball/three_seconds.html

watch this

https://vimeo.com/34047385

it shows just how poor many internationally credited FIBA level officials are at getting this call right. much of the blame can be placed upon poor application of the mechanics of the 3 official system where officials are expected to devote their FULL attention to either on-ball or off-ball activities depending upon where they are relative to the ball.

IMHO

not enough time is spent teaching officials how to keep track of the ball and 3 count at the same time as part of the 3 man team.

Teams who spin the ball from one side of the court to the other force each official to redirect their attention , often ensuring that 3 counts get badly missed

Anon, I understand you have a 5 year old older brother, perhaps tomorrow , after your mum gets you your blanky, you could ask him to read my post and explain it to you.

It's definitely one of the harder rules for referees to track, as it's an 'off-the-ball' action most of the time. When I'm playing if I feel a team is getting away with it, I count out-loud which usually has the effect of either making the guy leave the key or bringing the referee's attention to it... or sometimes probably pissing them off. :D

You wait until the game in Perth on Friday, we kidnap referees and make sure they call the 3 second rule on the away team.

This ruling issue comes up every now and then, so I am guessing the catalyst this time is all the noted big men in the NBL this season and people not wanting them to dominate the paint.

Well, interestingly enough I wonder where the rule about contact (illegal holding, grabbing and blocking or pushing) comes into the picture?

You can't have it both ways boys, so where we get fixated by the 3 second key-way rule and may wish to have our officials abide by the FIBA interpretations, we also have to establish some common sense principles to that equation IMO.

Why should the big guy playing post be penalised for using 3 seconds when the defender is allowed to spend all his time actually being as physical as what I observed during the NBL games in week 1?

Seriously, do we want scoring or do we want to watch the WWE...?

Yes Bear, that's why I raised it, because my team (CNS) don't have one of those dominant big man :)

I got no problem with physical defense inside. It's preferable to the alternative, which is usually how it's called in the NBL.

There should be an advantage to having a dominant post player on either end of the court.

It's a great rule in theory.
But WHO is supposed to police it?
FIVE players on court, only 3 refs. Even if they did NOTHING else, how are you supposed to track each player, as they rotate in and out of the paint.

It's very easy to pick up on replays, but unless you're watching the player as he enters, its easy to miss the start, then if you look away because you're watching the play, how do you know if he stepped out and back in?

It's also something where you have to give players some leeway, as an individual player can't necessarily time himself to know.

Hence why I suspect refs only to tend to pick up on flagrant breeches, and even miss some of those