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

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

651 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

a person in possession of the ball jumps to shoot the ball, one defender tries to hit the ball down, another defender tries to hit the ball up. the ball doesn't move and the shooter comes back down to his feet still in possession. what's the call?

Asked by Ethan over 11 years ago

If the ball is being pushed in opposite directions by two opponents, as in an attempted shot never leaving the shooter's hand but being blocked by a defender it is a held (jump) ball.  If the ball is knocked loose by a defender out of the shooter's hand and the shooter recovers the ball then no call.  If the defender marginally touches the ball and the shooter maintains continuous posession and lands back on the floor then it is travelling.

you are shooting two shots on foul line and on first shot the shooters team has lane violation does that take away second shot

Asked by ken about 11 years ago

If there is a violation on the first of two free throws, the first free throw is whistled dead and unsuccessful and the the second free throw will be administered.  So, no the violation on the first free throw does not cancel the second.

On last second throw in clock starts early & horn goes off as ball sails over inbound players untouched. Is it "do-over" or doews it below to other team and where?

Asked by Bob Moe over 11 years ago

see answer above.

what happens when a coach calls a time out just when his player fouled by the opponent? Can the referee call the time-out first and assess the foul?

Asked by Sanaa over 11 years ago

A foul committed after the ball is "dead" is ignored by rule book unless it is flagrant or intentional.  The official must determine which happened first, the time out request or the foul.  If the foul was committed first, they should report the foul and then the official should ask the coach if they still want the time out or not.  If the time out was granted first, and the foul was neither intentional or flagrant then the foul is ignored.  If the foul during a dead ball is intentional or flagrant it is a technical foul.

I shoot with a ref on occasion do you play on your own time?

Asked by rimbreakeer over 10 years ago

I played in men's leagues until about 10 years ago.  Being a ref gives you a unique perspective and helps your game.  But like all good things they come to an end.  I am recently retired from officiaiting (and quit ballin about 10 years ago).

FIBA rules say that 3 second clock resets when ball leaves the shooter's hand. What is your call is a player is in the key for 5 secs and then catches an airball and lays it up for a basket? 2pts or 3 sec violation?

Asked by dave over 11 years ago

I try to NOT call 3 seconds unless it changes the advantage/disadvantage of the play.  If I am underneath the basket as the lead official and someone is camped out in the paint, I will try to talk him out.  However, let's suppose that a player camps out for more than 3 seconds and a shot from far away goes up, and the player in the lane gets the rebound I will call a late 3 seconds violation - because his being in the lane for more than 3 seconds allowed him an unearned rebound.

In your scenario, assuming the ball is in the frontcourt for all of time the player is in the lane and that there was no shot previous to the airball, it should be called a 3 second violation - in my mind a perfect late call, because if the other team gets the rebound play on.  If the guy camped out in the lane gets the ball, then whistle a turnover.

Oh one more clarification: the 3 second area is the rectangle outline from the free line to the end line.  It does not include the semi-circle where a free throw shooter must stand. That is the top section of the "key" is not in the 3 seconds area.

In a game I recently played, I was pushing the fast break and stopped to shoot a three pointer. While I was in the act of shooting, the referee yelled "foot on the line". Just curious, isn't there a "code of conduct" against distracting players?

Asked by Trent over 10 years ago

Of course.  Common sense dictates that a referee should not distract any players.  But there is a large grey area.  How about a referee who "talks" players out of three seconds violations, or a referee who verbally counts to 5 seconds on a throw in (proper mechanics call for a hand count, not verbal) or a referee who yells "hands off" to avoid calling a hand check.  Some people say each of these acts represents inappropriate coaching - others say each one is good "preventive officiating". 

In my opinion, verbally saying "foot on the line" is beyond mechanics and unnecessary.