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
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.
The jurisdiction of the officials ends when the score is approved and the referees leave the visual confines of the court. Each state decides, with bylaws, what penalties will be assessed for player and coach ejections. There is no rule or penalty in the NFHS rulebook that an official can assess after a game is over. So the official should write up a game report and send it to the state (or league) for further adjudication.
The rulebook provisions of the 3 second rule is that a player cannot be in the lane for 3 seconds or more while his teamates have established team possession in their frontcourt.
If a player has either foot on the edge or line which defines yhe lane, he is in the lane.
There is an interesting exception to a 3 count. A player can legally be in the lane for as much as 6 seconds as follows: he is in the lane for a count if 2 and receives the ball, the holds the ball for 2 counts and dribbles - he gets another 2 count. Then he must shoot .
But to your point, most experienced officials rarely call 3 seconds. You see newer referees at freshman games call it way too often. Most officials are taught that 3 seconds should only be called if and only if it results in an undue advantage. Thr principal is called Advantage Disadvantage. This means that when it is called it is ususlly a late call.. for example a player is camped out and normally when the shot goes up the 3 seconds restrictions are lifted, but if that player gets the rebound because he was there for more than 3 seconds the official should call it then.
A good preventative officiating move is for the official to shoo players out of the paint verbally to avoid having to call 3 secs too often.
It is entirely referee's judgement. Look for lower leg flexing or ankle rotation.
Private Detective
CBP Officer
What are the telltale signs you look to indicate someone's lying?
Chef
Is it true that the "specials" are usually the stuff that's been sitting around awhile?
If the player had two hands on the ball and pushed it to the ground it is double dribble. If the play had one hand on top of the ball and pushed it to the ground it would be a dribble. If he then picked the ball up, he could not dribble again.
If the ref calls for the ball you should give it up. If you defy the ref it could be construed as disrespectful by a thin-skinned official. So yes, it could be called. BUT I never have made that call and I advise refs not to.
See my answer about nine questions back where Cody asked, "Who has the authority to throw a fan out of a game?"
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