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

please settle a bar argument, In college basketball can you ever take 2 steps that would not be considered traveling?

Asked by java almost 11 years ago

Traveling in college is defined the same way as in high school.  So the answer to your question depends on how the player caught the ball and if he is entitled to a pivot foot.

1) if you catch the ball with both feet on the floor, either foot can be the pivot.

2) if you catch the ball in the air and land simultaneously on both feet, either can be the pivot.  If one foot hits the floor first it must be the pivot.  However, if you catch the ball in the air hop on one foot then land on both feet, neither can be a pivot.

3) once you have established your pivot foot you can lift the pivot but must pass or shoot before the pivot returns to the floor. (and of course you cannot hop on your non-pivot foot if the pivot foot is in the air).

So to answer your question with an illustration, imagine catching the ball midair (or ending a dribble) your right foot lands first (that is your pivot) then you step forward with your left foot lifting up your right, and before your right hits the floor you shoot a layup.  This is a legal basketball move.

People want to say that you get 1 & 1/2 steps or you get 2 steps.  Neither of these are correct.  It depends on whether you are entitled to a pivot or not, and then you can lift up the pivot and onto your non pivot but you must shoot or pass before the pivot hits the floor.

starting game jump shot is tipped down court our guy gets it goes for basket. it goes in and ref counts it as shot for other team. is this correct?

Asked by donna about 11 years ago

I think you are asking this question: A1 gets the ball from the opening tip in his backcourt and shoots the ball into B1's basket (his oppponent's basket).  How is it scored? 

If this is your question, the answer is count the basket for team B, and A gets the ball for a throw in in their backcourt.

A call was made that if you don't have position of the ball your team on the bench can't count down the clock. Is this correct?

Asked by Dean about 11 years ago

I believe that is a made up rule.  The only way to construe a violation would be to consider it unsportsmanlike, but that is a stretch.  The way to handle it is if there is a dead ball after the team was counting approach the coach and ask if the coach considers counting in that way sporting.  Maybe he will stop them, but as a ref I would not call a foul.

gametied and theres2.6 sec left on the clock whenthe opp team is fouled while dribb thenshoots. The appointed ref says on the ground foul the other ref comes in after foul is called & says no shooting foul and they shoot 2 free throws is thisallowed

Asked by Aziz Mikha almost 11 years ago

There is no provision in the NFHS book which grants disputes between referees except that the official designated as the "referee" (as opposed to official 1 and 2) has the responsibility to resolve uncovered issues.

When two referees disagree, the way it should work is as follows: Official 1 makes a call. Official 2 sees it a different way and the two officials privately discuss it.  Official 1 needs to be convinced.  If official 1 decides official 2's call is the correct one, then official 1 should signal the correct call, and be prepared to defend it with the coaches.

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 almost 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.

You keep saying "it makes no difference if in bonus"...for Player Control...I only add the "in bonus" because it is the only time free throws are rewarded if not shooting..

Asked by MarkM almost 11 years ago

I don't know how else to say this...in high school rules, we NEVER award free throws on a player or team control foul.  We also NEVER count the basket if a player control foul was called on the shooter.

That is why it does not matter if the team is in the bonus - in any case, free throws are not awarded on a control foul. It is by definition in the rule book -  a control foul (team or player) never earns free throws. 

Maybe you are confused by the terms - notice I did not say charging fouls instead of control fouls, because charging is just one type of foul committed by the offense.  For example, free throws are not awarded for an illegal screen by the offense (as of about five years ago).

On 9th team foul players line up in lane and one of the officials indicated two shots (double bonus) rather than 1:1. Player missed free throw 5 of 6 players in lane stay in position, one player grabs rebound and makes the basket. Ruling?

Asked by Tom Hansen almost 11 years ago

There are five correctible errors in the NFHS rulebook: 1) failure to award a merited FT, 2) awarding an unmerited FT, 3) permitting the wrong player to shoot a FT, 4) attempting a FT at the wrong basket, & 5) Erroneously counting or cancelling a score.  Unfortunately in your scenario, the error was in announcing 2 free throws (he never progressed to awarding the erroroneous 2nd freet throw).  So, the error is not correctible, the basket counts, and now belongs to the opposing team.  Tough break because of bad officiating.