What action should the official take if a whistle is blown while the ball is in flight between A-1 and A-2?

What action should the official take if a whistle is blown while the ball is in flight between A-1 and A-2?

• A. Award a free throw to Team A
• B. Resume play with a jump ball
• C. Award Team A the ball for a designated-spot throw-in
• D. Stop the game until a decision can be made

Answer: (C)

When a whistle is blown while the ball is in flight between two players, the most appropriate action is to award Team A the ball for a designated-spot throw-in. This rule recognizes that the play is interrupted due to the whistle, and since the ball was in possession of Team A at the time of the whistle, they are granted the opportunity to inbound the ball at the nearest spot where the play was disrupted. In this situation, the whistle indicates that something has occurred that warrants stopping the play—not a foul or violation by either team that would alter possession. Therefore, Team A gets the benefit of being able to re-initiate play without being penalized for the interruption. Other options, such as awarding a free throw to Team A, resuming play with a jump ball, or stopping the game for a decision, do not align with the standard procedures for handling a stoppage during active play without a violation. A free throw would only be awarded if a foul occurred, a jump ball does not apply in this context as possession is already established, and simply stopping the game without a clear resolution would not effectively restart play in a manner consistent with the rules.

When a whistle is blown while the ball is in flight between two players, the most appropriate action is to award Team A the ball for a designated-spot throw-in. This rule recognizes that the play is interrupted due to the whistle, and since the ball was in possession of Team A at the time of the whistle, they are granted the opportunity to inbound the ball at the nearest spot where the play was disrupted.

In this situation, the whistle indicates that something has occurred that warrants stopping the play—not a foul or violation by either team that would alter possession. Therefore, Team A gets the benefit of being able to re-initiate play without being penalized for the interruption.

Other options, such as awarding a free throw to Team A, resuming play with a jump ball, or stopping the game for a decision, do not align with the standard procedures for handling a stoppage during active play without a violation. A free throw would only be awarded if a foul occurred, a jump ball does not apply in this context as possession is already established, and simply stopping the game without a clear resolution would not effectively restart play in a manner consistent with the rules.