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

I have heard Refs tell players to get out of the lane before a three second violation is assessed. Isn't this giving the player an undue advantage? He should already know to get out of the lane.

Asked by Mike over 10 years ago

Let me preface my answer by reminding you that I am an advocate of the Advantage Disadvantage philosophy of officiating basketball.  This philosophy advocates not stopping play to call a foul or a violation unless that action causes a change in the balance of the defense/offense posture.  

So, I tended to call very few 3 seconds in varsity basketball.  For me it was usually a late call, as in a player is camped in the lane and gets the rebound, I would call a late 3 seconds call.  If he didn't get the rebound play on.  But since play goes so fast, premptive officiating would suggest warning the player to get out of the lane before having to make an advantage/disadvantage decision.  

This is controversial in 2 ways: 1) you are right that at the varsity level players should not be "coached" by the ref's, and 2) not everyone believes in advantage/disadvantage.

I would warn a player once to stop him from camping out in there, but I am an advocate of advantage disadvantage officiating.

In my High School game last night, with 12 seconds left and up by 2 ponts my team was at the free throw line shooting 2 shots. Can the opposing coach remove all players from the lane line, call them to the sideline, and coach them like a time out?

Asked by Mrclutch about 10 years ago

No, he should not be allowed to pull all of the players from the lane. The only requirement is that the opposing team of the free thrower must put a player on each of two lower blocks. This rule is in place because after the last free throw it takes two players to get the ball in play.

What should have happened is the coach should have been warned for a delay of game and if not responding then an indirect technical foul. The team opposite the free thrower must put two players on the lower block.

with 9 seconds remaining. while in bounding the ball on a set play the scorekeeper sounds the buzzer and the basket is taken away. with no time outs they run the same play this time defender just holds onto the player and tackles him to the ground

Asked by bob about 11 years ago

Time stops when an offical: signals a foul, held ball or violation, stops play for an injury or score inquiry, grants a time out, or responds to the scorer signal.  SO, unless the referees stopped play with their whistle PLAY ON and the basket should count.  That is why players are coached to stop on the whistle, not the buzzer.

If the officials did stop play when they heard the buzzer, it sounds like a foul should have been called.  Either way, as you desribe it officiating mistakes were made.

Many times the marquee will provide a replay of the last play on the floor. If a bad call is made, and you see the replay, can you check the monitor to over-turn the call as a collaborative team?

Asked by Karen about 11 years ago

In NFHS rules replay is not to be used in ordinary season games.  However, replay use is permitted in a state's playoff series under these conditions: 1) the state has authorized its use, 2) the replay is used to determine timing issues on the last shot, and whether it is a 2 or 3 point shot.  So in high school ball during an in season game you cannot use replay.  In college, the officials use it a few times a game for many situations (flagarant or not on a hard foul, timing issues as to whether a shot was launched before time expired, who is the correct free shooter, etc.)

Follow-up to the previous question: I'm 20 soon to be 21) and have 4 years to become D-2 or D-1. Do I have a chance?

Asked by Serge over 9 years ago

Sounds like you are getting a late start but I would never discourage anyone from pursuing their dream. By the way, Michael Jordan was cut from his high school team and clearly he stuck to it.

If an offensive player goes to dribble the ball and it hits the referee and goes out of bounds which team gets the out of bounds possesion?

Asked by CS almost 10 years ago

The ball is awarded opposite the team which touched the ball last before the ball went out of bounds. The referee is considered part of the floor where he/she is standing.

Team A dribbles the ball off the ref's foot and then it goes out of bounds, Team B gets a throw in.

How often have you seen a team play a box and one D, to shut down a hot shooter that dominates his own teams play? I never see it.

Asked by rimbreaker over 10 years ago

In all the high school games I worked I probably saw the box and 1 a couple times.