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

If only 4 players are in when ball is put into play, (coach screwed up), can the 5th player enter the court on the go without permission from the referee?

Asked by Dave Evert almost 10 years ago

Technically all players have to be beckoned in by a referee. As a matter of practice, I would not call the T unless the player's entry gave them a distinct advantage such as an undefended fast break.

I was fouled and the ref under the basket called 2 shots. Shot and missed the first one, caught it and threw it back to the ref. The side ref said it was a one and one after I gave it to the ref and they ended up calling it a jump ball.

Asked by Harlin Wolfe about 11 years ago

Since awarding the 2nd free throw was in error, and even if it was correctible, play resumes from the point discovered, and all points scored and fouls remain intact.  So the ref should have dropped the ball and play on.  There is no provision to use a jump ball to fix a misapplication of a rule.

As a practical matter, awarding a jump is less awkward than the chaos of handing it correctly.

if a defender hits the ball first in attempting to block a shooter's shot and then the shooter's arm continues forward and hits the defenders vertical arm is this a blocked shot or a foul warranting two shots for the shooter?

Asked by Stan over 11 years ago

The defender always has the rights to his vertical space whether he hits the ball or not. Based on how you describe it, I would see it as a good block, no foul.

on a break pass a player knocks ball down w/ r-hand, holds ball w/ both hands( defender in front of him), then dribbles left past d. Isn't the knock down his first dribble?

Asked by rimbreaker over 10 years ago

If the player controlled the pass and purposely knocked the ball down, then it began his dribble.  If the player reached out to catch the ball and the ball fell to the ground, then it is a muff and did not start the dribble.  It is a judgement call by the official.

Question: Is a free throw that doesn't touch the rim considered to be violation by the free thrower?

Asked by L. Rouse over 10 years ago

Yes.

If yo shoot from behind the board but yet inside the court, ball bounces on the top of the board and goes into the court / is that out of bounds or not?

Asked by a.stjepanovic@gmail.com over 10 years ago

If the ball goes over the top of a rectangular backboard in either direction it is out of bounds.

If the ball goes over the top of a fan backboard it stays in play.

in college basketball is the question of whether a foul is just a personal foul or an intentional foul reviewable. This excludes the issue of whether the foul was "flagrant" or not.

Asked by Stan over 11 years ago

I know the NFHS rules but I found this online from SB Nation regarding college reviews:

...now the following types of plays will be eligible:

shot clock violations in final 2 minutes or overtime

out of bounds plays in final 2 minutes or overtime

two point vs three points

which player committed a called foul (to make sure the correct player is assessed)

flagrant foul calls

NOTE:  this list does not include intentional so if this correct it would seem to be excluded.  maybe someone can post a more definitive answer?