Q: If there is a held ball in the restricted area at approximately the same time as a player(s) has been in the restricted area for three seconds, is this a 3- second violation or does alternating possession apply? What are the guiding principles?
A: The situation should result in a jump ball and alternating possession, as the held ball takes precedence. This ruling aligns with the principle that simultaneous infractions or situations result in the most neutral outcome.
FIBA Rule Reference:
According to Article 12.3 of the current FIBA Official Basketball Rules, a three-second violation is only enforced if no other infraction occurs simultaneously. In this case, the held ball triggers a jump ball scenario, which takes precedence over the three-second violation.