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

Airborne player A-1 attempts a 3-point field goal. After returning to the floor B-1 fouls A-1. The try is unsuccessful. The official awards A-1 three free throws. Is the official correct?

Asked by mIKE almost 11 years ago

No. After returning to the floor the player is no longer in the act of shooting. It should be a non-shooting common foul.

What happens when a player shooting a free throw dribbles the ball off their foot and it rolls under the basket? In my daughters game they called it a turn over.

Asked by Don almost 10 years ago

You cannot travel or double dribble on a free throw. Likewise, a player is allowed to dribble in the paint will standing behind the free throw line. Unless the count was closing in on 10 seconds, I would return the ball to the free throw shooter and start a new 10 second count.

Youth basketball (13-14) ball is in play & scorekeeper hits buzzer in error; some players continue the game (clock still running) & no whistle was blown. A basket is made & then the whistle blows & referee claims no basket. Was this a correct call?

Asked by Debbie almost 11 years ago

Players should play until a whistle is blown. In your scenario the refs made two mistakes: 1) if there is not an advantage by the team in possession when the buzzer sounded, they should blow the whistle and find out what the timekeeper wanted, and 2) once they let the game continue then they should count all activities until the whistle.

Have you ever had to call a game winning shot not good because time expired?

Asked by Andrew almost 10 years ago

Yes, in a tie game I called travelling on a last second shot which went in. I sent the game into overtime and the team that travelled lost the game.

Hi Rndballref, A1 has ball out of bounds 5 ft past half court inside front court. A1 bounce passes ball to A2 who is in backcourt meaning that he ball bounces in front court before A2 catches it while standing in back court. Legal or turnover? Thx

Asked by Peter Johnston almost 10 years ago

Legal. There is mo team possession on a throw in. So team A does not have possession until they hold the ball in the backcourt. The fact that the ball bounced in A's front court is immaterial because Team A did not have possession then.

after a made basket player A is allowed to run the baseline after attempting a throw in the ball was deflected back out of bounds doe player A retain the ability to run the baseline?

Asked by wayne over 10 years ago

No. After a ball is deflected out of bounds the throw in should be a spot throw in. If there is a throw in after a basket, and a team calls time out, then the offense can still run the end line.

If a player stops his or her dribble and is off balance and ready to fall on the floor which would traveling and puts his or hers hand on the floor to prevent from flooring on the floor is that traveling

Asked by ernie liggett, sr almost 10 years ago

It is not traveling if a hand touches the floor as long as your feet have not violated the traveling rules. Any other part of your body (beside hands and feet) touching the floor while in control of the ball constitutes traveling.