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

can i box out an opponent before their offensive player takes a shot ?

Asked by Kobe54 over 10 years ago

Boxing out is the process of legally getting to a spot on the floor before an opponent gets to the same spot. Most people think of this when you achieve inside rebounding position, and you are able to anticipate your opponent's movement in such a way that you prevent him from moving around you by "blocking" his way. Note this definition is without specification regarding a shot or no shot.

In my experience, the player blocking out is tagged with a foul when he blatantly backs up and dislodges his opponent when making contact, but not usually when both players move laterally.

I have a question. Say a player jumps to attempt a 3 pointer. He is fouled and then decided to dribble or pass after the foul instead of finish the shot attempt. Are 3 free throws awarded? Or is it side out of bounds?

Asked by Travis over 10 years ago

If, in the opinion of the referee the player started the "habitual movement to shoot at the basket" and is fouled it is a shooting foul even if the player cannot complete the shot or dumps the ball off.

Article 5 of the college bball rules says a pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the court before a pass or shot. But I see no restrictions on the non-pivot foot. Lift the pivot, hop all the way to the basket on the non-pivot??

Asked by JJinVista over 10 years ago

you may step on your non pivot and then lift your pivot but it you step down on what was your pivot foot, or slide or hop on your non-pivot foot it is traveling

Hi Ref, can a player blow in another players face? In my daughters game player B1 was playing defense by standing in player A1's face (within 12 inches) even when play was stopped and would repeatedly blow in A1's face. Legal? Thx

Asked by P_Johnston over 10 years ago

I would warn the player that blowing air in the face of an opponent is unsportsmanlike and the next occurance would be a technical foul.

High school rules
While an offensive player is scoring a two point shot a defensive player fouls going for rebound position. The offense is in the bonus. Is the fouled player awarded one and one on top of the made goal or only one shot?

Asked by Pete over 10 years ago

OK. So let's say the shooter comes down from his jump shot and touches the floor and the shot is in the air. This offensive player is no longer an "airborne shooter". If the defense then fouls this ex-airborne shooter, or any other offensive player while the ball is in the air here is how you administer it:

Count the basket if it goes in. Then administer the foul (one and one, or two if in bonus situations.NOTE: If the shooter is still an airborne shooter and is fouled, he is awarded one free throw if the ball goes in, two or three if the shot is no good.

Also, is there a rule from preventing a player from stepping into a jump on a tip-off(to obtain a higher jump)?

Asked by Casey over 10 years ago

A jumper can step into the jump but any other player cannot until the ball is tapped.

A player is chasing the ball down as it is going out of bounds. The defending player moves in between him and the ball to block him from getting to it. Is this OK? Can the defender move to do this or does he have to remain stationery?

Asked by Eddie almost 10 years ago

The same rules apply to this situation as blocking out when rebounding. If the "inside" player moves to the spot where the other player is trying to get to, it is ok as long as the inside player gets there before the other player steps or jumps toward that spot. Under this definition, yes, the inside player can keep moving.