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

Well my daughter had a sectional game and the refs allowed the other team to guard our girls with hands and forearm across our girls legs and mid-section while they were driving and never called a foul.

Asked by Ronald Poke about 11 years ago

ok.

What should a referee do to call a team on the floor after a timeout? The team with possession came on, then the ref quickly blew the whistle and gave the ball to inbound, but the other team's players weren't on the floor.

Asked by weekendref about 11 years ago

Technically speaking, it is a technical team foul for not coming onto the court in a timely manner after a time out or start of a quarter or overtime.  Preventive officiating would dictate giving the team a little leaway to come onto the court, but if a coach refuses then a T should be called.

Sounds like the ref was confused because if the possession team is slow to come on the court it is legitimate to put the ball down on the throw in area and begin a five count.  However, when the defense refuses to come out, T is the appropriate penalty, not putting the ball in play without the defense.

Ball in the air at half court and I get fouled attemptimg to tip it toward my basket is it then a three-shot foul? It would have to be under your definition because if it goes in and we're in the bonus, awarding one and one is too crazy and severe.

Asked by dhatch about 12 years ago

Read my answer to the above question, and add this.  If I was observing an official who called a foul on a half court tip a shooting foul, I would do all I could to keep him from working a varsity (also a sophomore) game.  I will grant you that a player can go through the habitual shooting motion of a shot anywhere on the court and if fouled it could be a shooting foul, even from the back court (as in the end of the quarter), but a tip from half court is unskilled and undeserving of a shooting foul - I would always call a halfcourt tip foul a common foul.

Say someone fouled me, and i receive 2 free throw shots. If I jump over the free throw line and make my shot before landing does it count? Also, is it legal to dunk a free throw shot if physically able?

Asked by Shane almost 12 years ago

In the violations section of the rule book regarding free throws, it states that the free throw shooter shall have neither foot beyond the vertical plane of the edge of the free throw line which is further from the basket.

This restriction ends when the ball hits the ring, backboard or until the free throw ends.

So no, a player cannot soar through the air leaping from the semi-circle to dunk a ball - he would have to cross the vertical plane of the free throw line.

Who has the authority to throw a fan out of the game?

Asked by Cody almost 12 years ago

Indirectly referees and the home school have the authority.  In NFHS rules there is a function called home management.  It is usually the athletic director, or a representative of the AD.  The rule book states that in the absence of a designated home management person, the home team head coach will assume that function.

Directly from the rule book:  The officials shall penalize unsporting behavior by player, coach, substitute, team attendant or FOLLOWER.

Further the book states:  ... the officials may rule fouls on either team if its supporters act in a way to interfere with the proper conduct of the game.

It also cautions the officials to be careful applying penalties so as not to unfairly penalize a team.

When I officiated, I never engaged in an expulsion dialog with a fan.  I simply went to home management (the AD) and said something like, "the guy in the third row with the blue shirt has to go.  Home management always complied with my request and escorted the unruly fan out (or used an on site police officer to be the escort) and the AD often apologized about a overzealous home team fan.

The pro game seems lax on the rules, I guess for entertainment value. I'm more appreciative of a well played and reffed game. How do you view the pro's. And who is your favorite player?

Asked by Rimbreaker about 11 years ago

I don't like the pro game because of how it has evolved, especially in the east.  Post a big player on the block, slow the game down to half court, never full court press, winners are too predictable and players turn on/off hustle instead of playing hard the entire game.  So I am with you.  if I had to pick a player whose game I admire it would Kevin Durant.  I despise how Wade, James and Bosh colluded to put their team together, and could have started a league-ruining trend.  I like the college D1 game.  There are upsets and coaches can piece together unique game plans to try to win.  Much less predictibility.

Can a coach be on the court during the game

Asked by Dean over 11 years ago

No, by rule a coach has only 2 places he/she can be: 1) standing (or squating) in a 14 foot area out of bounds, in front of his/her bench known as the "coach's box" in states that have adopted this optional provision, or 2) sitting on his/her bench.

In practice, unless a coach is over-bearing to the officials or is gaining advantage (for example standing near the endline and directing players) most referees are not going to focus on a coach outside the box.  The penalty is a direct technical foul and most refs do well to ask or warn the coach before calling a T.

If a coach is called for any direct technical foul, he/she is "seatbelted" to the bench and loses the ability to stand in the coach's box for the remainder of the game.