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 see a lot of confusion around "3 in the key" in offense, I'd like to clarify the rule, especially when the ball is shot and players are rebounding. Can a player, who would otherwise be called for 3 seconds, stay in the key after the ball is shot?

Asked by AussieRef about 11 years ago

Once the shot is released the 3 second restrictions are lifted. It is ok for a late whistle to call 3 seconds after the shot goes up IF the violation happened before the shot, and the official is just late in calling it. But it is an error if part of the 3 second violation occurs including time after the shot is released. The restrictions start again after the offensive team obtains team control with the ball in the front court.

It is also possible to be legally in the paint for 5 seconds with the ball. Here is how: a player catches the ball in the paint. You are counting 1, 2 . Before you get to three, the player dribbles toward the basket. You restart the count. If the player drives directly and shoots before the new 3 seconds then it is a legal play. If the dribbler reverses directions or stops, then it is three seconds.

3 seconds at the varsity level is a good example of preventive officiating. When a player is camped out in the lane, I want to warn him to move out a couple times unless he has gained the ball or a big rebounding advantage. "Move out, or keep moving out of the paint". After a couple warnings, then call it constantly. In my experience, the higher quality players need 3 seconds called rarely, whereas in middle school you need to call it regularly.

Can a team "Stack 4 players together" during a throw in without letting the defense get a legal guarding position during a throw in? What's the call if the defense tries to get in between the offensive players?

Asked by K.C. over 9 years ago

You can stack perpendicular to the throw in boundary line, but if the defense wants to step into a parallel stack room must be made.

How much time a person need to go from a beginner level in basketball to the NCAA D-1 or NCAA D-2?
Specifically if this is a man who's 1.9 meters tall, weights 76 kilograms, but at the start isn't an athlete whatsoever.

Asked by Serge over 10 years ago

It is impossible to say or even generalize/ For example the University of Illinois, a D1 Big Ten school had scholarship player Nnanna Egwu who was born in Nigeria and didn't play basketball until 8th grade. He was considered a "project" when he was offers a scholarship. He had a good, not stellar collage career and he is trying to play pro ball but has of yet not hooked on with a team in the NBA. By the way, in college Nnanna played at 6 foot 9. The problem with being 6'2" and 165 lbs is not many schools will take on a "project" who hasn't played much ball. A lot depends on how much time a player has to develop and where the development takes place. Seems to me that most well recruited middle schoolers or even high schoolers play for very competitive AAU teams. If you want to be the best, you have to compete with the best.

When shooting a hook shot I go up with two hands on the ball. when I release my off hand and it moves away from the ball but stays between the ball and defenders hand that is trying to block the shot. Is it an offensive foul if contact is made?

Asked by Post player about 11 years ago

Usually this would be incidental and not called, UNLESS your arms flailing whack the defender.

In District play offs can the referee call a foul in the last 4 seconds ? Example A player from the opposite team fell and the other teams player jumped over him and didn't even touch him but they got to shoot because they said he touched him !

Asked by LouLou almost 10 years ago

A referee can call a foul anytime during the game, as long as a foul has been committed. If there was no contact and no unsportsmanlike behavior then no foul should be called.

a player dribbles the ball, before going out of bound he releases (untouch) the ball, and get out of bound. After he gets back in court from out of bound, can he pick up the ball and continue the dribble?

Asked by Antuxity over 10 years ago

It is a violation for a player to leave the floor for an unauthorized reason. The ball is dead when the player goes out of bounds and is awarded to the opposite team.

A player commits 5th foul. Ref confirms with official. Replacement player enters game. 4 mins. later, the player who fouled out re-enters the game. The official scorer now says he only has 4 fouls. Wasn't the player ineligible to return?

Asked by Brooks almost 10 years ago

The table official's book is the final word unless the referee has certain, personal knowledge. So assuming the official has not kept track of how many fouls a player has, if the scorer discovers a counting error of a player;s foul, he should conference with the referee (head of the game officials), explain what happened, and if a player really had 4 fouls it should be explained to both coaches and the player should be allowed to reenter the game.