Anonymous
Years ago
Church Basketball Competition
So now I believe all the church leagues have joined together to form one league instead of having a United competition and a Church of Christ competition. I also believe they are now categorised under Basketball SA.
Now I wish to know why, or even wonder why this competition can have its own set of rules. Yes there are minor changes it can make to the game to make it 'fit' under what could be classified as 'church guidelines' but the rules of basketball are there for a reason.
My first problem is a small one but a confusing one. Within the rules of the church league it says player numbers must be legal playing numbers that are defined from within the normal basketball bylaws. If I'm not mistaken this has been changed to allow any number from 00 to 99 to be worn. But then it states the legal numbers are 4-15, 20-25, 30-35, 40-45 and 50-55. Why say to follow a set of rules, but then go against what those rules are.
My second wonder is clock stopping. First week we were told clock stopped on every whistle within the last 2 minutes on every whistle. Second week we were told the same thing. Third week we did what we were told the other two weeks only to find out that these were NOT the rules. 'Apparently' a piece of paper was now on the score bench saying when the clock was to stop and the ref tried to tell us that it has been there since week 1 which it was not. Now the clock only stops for foul shots and at the refs discretion within the last few minutes. It's a 40 minute game within a 50 minute time slot, last two minutes should be able to be stopped on every whistle, or even if the rule was "if its within 'x' number of points". The games will still run on time.
Thirdly, timeouts. Clock does not stop for them... unless in the last 2 minutes of the second half. BUT in the first half you are able to have a timeout with two minutes to go in the half and the clock will continue to run, taking it down to 1 minute left in the half, that's IF the refs and teams are obeying the time period. I have seen countless times teams AND referee's extend timeouts for over 1 minute. In every competition I have been in the clock either stops for timeouts or you're not allowed to have timeouts in the last 2 or 3 minutes of the period. Why does this need to be different.
I have also heard countless people swear within the church competition. It was to my belief that swearing was an automatic tech foul under the church rules. Yet I have seen different refs use it to their discretion, depending on their own beliefs. One ref may believe that a small swear word is ok if not yelled and it's towards themself, yet I have seen another ref tech foul someone for muttering under their breath a swear words and then be told by the ref 'its the rules'. What are the rules! Either enforce them properly or don't have it. Just the other week I saw a player receive a foul and then proceed to say 'jesus christ' and only get issued with a warning. Or I hear a player yell a swear word, nothing done by a referee, another player asks the ref why only be told "oh I didnt hear it".
Why try and claim you are under BSA when you make your own rules that suit you. The rules are there for a reason, not for looks and a good read when you're bored. Church basketball has potential to be a strong league but I believe will still not be considered as true basketball until they get in line with BA and BSA.
/end rant
