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

Defensive player A fouls Offensive player B on the way to the basket. Player B takes another step and charges hard into defensive player C standing under the basket. Is there an offensive foul as well?

Asked by Pittfall almost 11 years ago

This is an unusual play with the foul on defensive player A being called. Normally, a second foul could is ignored as long as it is unintentional because the first foul made the ball dead. If the offensive player is on the ground and fouled, then steps into a charge the charge would be ignored.

But here is an interesting twist. What if Offensive player B is an airborne shooter fouled in the act of shooting by defender A but plows into defender B before touching the floor. The ball is not dead when an airborne shooter is fouled until they hit the floor so technically this could be called a simultaneous foul and go to the possession arrow. In practice, most officials will call the foul on defender A and ignore the subsequent player control foul (charge).

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 11 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 over 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.

I just found out of this rule when I was watching the CLE vs BKN game. What exactly is a showboating foul ?

Asked by MadFaker7 almost 11 years ago

I searched through the NBA rulebook and could not find a foul called "showboating". There is a broad definition of unsportsmanlike conduct, but nothing specifically called show boating.

I was going for a loose ball that was headed out of bounds. A player from the opposite team slapped my wrist hard causing my hand to hit the ball out of bounce. Is this a foul?

Asked by JOhn about 11 years ago

Technically, you cannot ever slap an opponent's wrist or hand unless it is on the ball.  But in practice, good referees would be focusing on the palyers' torsos because that is where a meaningful foul is most likely to happen.

Let's suppose that I saw the play with exact clarity.  The player who slapped your hand "caused" the ball to go out of bounds, and unless the slap was forceful or flagarant, I would call the ball out (violation not foul) - last touched by your opponent and give your team the throw in.

Is it illegal for a player to stand directly in front of the defender and be in-between the person with the ball and the defender and to remain there. It restricts the defender to guard his shot and may cause a foul on the defender for going into him

Asked by Alex Orlando over 10 years ago

Yes it is legal. In the rule book it is called a screen (assuming it is legally obtained).

If a player is injured and can't complete free throw does opposing coach choose the sub

Asked by ah about 11 years ago

No.  The coach of the injured player decides who to put in.