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

Has anyone devised a plan to reduce the number of free throws in a game? The prolonged set up for foul shots and the productive use of fouls by trailing teams to stop the clock is tiresome and in some sense unsporting.

Asked by RodK over 12 years ago

I have officiated some house leagues, summer high school leagues and travelling basketball tourneys where a shooting foul is awarded 1 point and the ball, and a common foul after 7 team fouls also gets 1 point + ball.  At one point in time there was a proposal in college ball that a team would have the option of shooting free throws OR the ball.  Doesn't seem like anyone talks about that anymore.  I think the pros like close games and slowing the game down with fouls compresses the score, but those last 2 minutes sometimes takes 20 minutes.

After a rec game, one of our players told a ref (calmly) he needed to make calls on obvious fouls. He became angry(he'd been angry and rude all game) and said if he was our ref next week, he would give us a T to start the game. Is this ever okay?

Asked by Matt P over 11 years ago

No, it is absolutely not ok.  A ref must be above reproach, and when there are lingering bad feelings a good ref will put the history behind them.  So first, if a ref swallows the whistle - in rec leagues it is common so the games end quicker - then report the ref to the league's assignment chair.  Not calling obvious fouls almost always leads to rough play as the players feel compelled to protect themselves. 2nd, a ref should be fired for starting the game with an unearned T.

Non shooting foul is committed in penalty situation, 1 & 1. PA announcer calls 2 shots and the ref hands the ball to shooter andsays 2 shots also. First shot is missed and shooting team get rebound and put back. Can coach argue the mixup?

Asked by Coach K over 11 years ago

The coach can argue mixup all he wants, but it shouldn't matter.  Awarding an unearned free throw is correctible, but all points and fouls earned before the error is detected count.  In this case, an extra free throw was not awarded - the referees simply misled the lane rebounders, and that is NOT correctible.  So, argue til you are blue in the face, and call it lousy officiating, but the play and points by rule stand.

To follow up, "never award...doesn't matter if team is in bonus", well yea, of course...so is the ONLY player control violation when affected team gets possession A CHARGE, with no free throws even if in bonus???

Asked by MM over 11 years ago

Other than technical fouls, there are no free throws awarded when a team with possession of the ball commits a foul. 

If it is in the possession of the player committing the foul, then it is a player control foul (NO free throws).  If a player's team has possession and a foul is committed by a player on that team without the ball it is a team control foul (and again, NO free throws). 

A team or player control foul is never awarded free throws, and it makes no difference if the team is in bonus.  

Also, you might be asking if a charge is the only player control foul possible?  The answer is no.  A player with the ball might push, trip, hold, etc a defensive player and an offensive player without the ball might set an illegal screen, push, hold, etc in addition to charging. All of this is relative to NFHS rules.

Are there reserve refs at games/tournaments? What happens if one gets injured?

Asked by Tyrone over 11 years ago

In Illinois, in each championship weekend (2 for boys & 2 for girls) there are 6 officials.  Each official works 2 games, but if one were injured they could press one from the other crew into action.  In addition, the tournament usually attracts several high level officials as spectators so there are plenty in reserve.  Every state does this differently.

When a player receives a pass, can he put the ball on the floor and pick it up without ever letting go the ball. In other words, his two hands, the ball and the floor are in contact simultaneously.

Asked by Anthony Chevalier about 12 years ago

Let's suppose that a player takes two hands on top of the ball and pushes it to the ground - double dribble.  You see this sometimes when a player falls and use the ball to break the fall.  What if a player takes one hand and pushes the ball to the floor ? That is an interrupted dribble until the player picks it up, or can continue the dribble with one hand (like the Globetrotters).  If instead, he picks up the ball, he has used up the dribble and must pass or shoot from there.

Can another official reverse another officials traveling call?

Asked by Roger D. over 11 years ago

There is no provision in the rules for an official to overrule another, and there is no prohibition against it.  One of the officials is designated as the referee, the others are umpire 1 and umpire 2.  The referee has to settle all disputes not envisioned by the rule book.  As I have said before, I always wanted my partners to approach me if they disagreed with my call and allow me to change my own call if my partner created doubt or if they clarified the play for me.  But I always wanted the right to not change my call as well.  By the original caller changing his call he can explain it to the coach adversely affected.  Good referees have this discussion before the game and talk about how they are going to handle a disagreement on a call.  Generally, this should not happen too often because each referee has a specific area to watch and while there is some overlap calls usually fall within one ref's primary responsibility area.