Basketball Referee

Basketball Referee

Rndballref

20 Years Experience

Chicago, IL

Male, 60

For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

3 second rule question: do both feet have to clear the key entirely for the player to be good, or is it like out of bounds, where one foot touching the line is enough? Thanks.

Asked by RodK over 12 years ago

The 3 second area (the paint) is defined by the outer edge of the lines.  Any part of your foot on the line puts you in the paint. 

The outer line on the court is out of bounds, so on a throw in the player who is throwing the ball in could step on the line before throwing in as long as the foot does not step on the court.

How do you check a ball for proper inflation at game time?

Asked by rimbreaker almost 12 years ago

Some officials carry a small gauge, but most referees hold the ball head-high (about 5 3/4 feet high) and let it drop.  It should bounce up to the official's elbow when the upper arm is held parallel to the floor.  Higher bounce than the elbow means over-inflated, bouncing under the elbow means it needs more inflation.  The referee usually checks the game ball after making sure the book contains at least the number of players who are warming up (and the starters are designated),  around 10 minutes before gametime.  Try it sometime when you are on a wooden floor.  Note, if the game is being played on an indoor soft rubberized floor (as in underclass games in the fieldhouse), the ball will need more air than on a wooden floor.

White has alternating possession arrow. Following a held ball, black flagrantly fouls white. Technical free throws and possession are awarded. Who now has possession arrow? I'm assuming white.

Asked by Rob over 11 years ago

Correct. The possession was never given to white so the arrow still stays white.

If a player receives his fifth foul which results in free throws can the first free throw be shot before the player that has fouled out is removed from the game

Asked by Rick over 12 years ago

No.  The correct protocol when a player fouls out is this: the scorer normally informs the ref that the player assessed with the last foul has fouled out.  The ref lets the coach know that the player has fouled out and he has 30 seconds to send in a substitute.  Once the fouled out player leaves the court and the substitute is beckoned in, then the free throws can start.  By the way, if there are other subs at the time the player is being replaced, then all of them should be beckoned in.  Normally you would wait until there is only one free throw left (or a one and one) before sending subs in.

Opening tip. Our center tipped the ball along the midcourt line but no one touched it before it went out of bounds. Sure, ball to the other team now, but what about arrow? The ruling was the arrow for other side b/c our center "possessed" ball. Thx.

Asked by RodK over 12 years ago

Sounds like a bad call.  The center for Team A does not establish team possession by tipping the ball, but by knocking the ball out Team B gets the ball.  Because neither team had possession and B got the first ball the arrow is set for Team A's possession on the next one.

Sir I'm confused about what position should I play because I like playing as a Shooting Guard, I love to score, attack to the basket and spot up jumper but I'm Great in rebounding so my friend say I should just play as a Power Forward can i play both

Asked by Adam almost 12 years ago

It depends on 1) your current size and potential size and 2) your level of fundamental skills (dribbling, shot accuracy, speed, passing, basketball IQ, selflessness, and most importantly the needs of your team).

Thanks for last answer. The coach taught the boys that when dribble driving, swat a defender's reaching arms upward and away with the free arm to have a clear shot. I heard that violated nfhs 4-24-7 but I didn't see the latest text. True? Thanks.

Asked by rodkovel@juno.com almost 13 years ago

In theory, swatting a defender's arms is a violation.  If a defender has the right to a space, swatting his arms is a foul.  But if the defender is handchecking (or forearm checking) an experienced ref would either call a foul on the defender, or not call anything. Instead he could warn both players to keep their arms off each other.  Unfortunately, often the offensive player gets caught swatting because the ref missed the initial armcheck.