1. Failure to award a merited free throw 2. Awarding an unmerited free throw 3. Permitting the wrong player to attempt a free throw 4. Attempting a free throw at the wrong basket 5. Erroneously counting or canceling a score
Each of the five correctable errors may be corrected if they are recognized before the second live ball, after the error occurs and after the clock starts or is already running. An error that occurs when the clock is stopped can be corrected no later than the first dead ball after the clock has properly started. An error that occurs when the clock is running can be corrected before the second live ball.
To correct an error, the official must:
1. Recognize it as one of the five correctable errors 2. Determine that the time frame for correction has not elapsed 3. Apply the correction a. Cancel any unmerited, wrong basket or wrong player free throws and activity during such free throws other than unsporting flagrant intentional or technical fouls b. Administer any bypassed merited, right basket or right player free throws c. Count (cancel) any erroneously canceled (counted) score
By rule, “Points scored, consumed time and additional activity which may occur” after an error and “prior to the recognition of an error shall not be nullified.”
Other “snafus” by officials do not satisfy the definition of an error and are not correctable. Consider two examples:
1. Official erroneously awards a throw-in to Team B instead of Team A and Team B completes the throw-in. 2. Official assesses a technical foul after Team A coach requests and is granted a 5th timeout although the Team A coach was never notified that Team A was previously granted its final allotted charged timeout.
In both cases, play resumes without remedy for Team A.