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 you are dribbling and the ball goes off a teammate's foot -- can you run it down, pick it up and dribble?

Asked by Dave about 11 years ago

The rulebook states that a dribble ends when the dribbler picks up the ball, the ball is touched by an opponent,or the ball becomes dead.  It is a violation to dribble a second time unless it is after an attempt at try, a touch by an opponent, or a pass or fumble which touches another player.

So, if you dibble off a players foot and retrieve the ball and resume dribbling it is double dribble.  If you would have passed the ball hitting a teammate and then retrieve it no violation.

Answer to your question is no.

On an end line inbounds after a made basket can the inbounder pass it to a teammate out of bounds who subsequently passes the ball in play? I know this was allowed at one point but haven't seen it used in many years.

Asked by Mike over 11 years ago

After a made basket, or after a timeout after a made basket the team with the ball can pass it from one out of bounds player to another, and then throw it in bounds (along the endline only).  Here's the play:

Team B is pressing with no defender on the out of bounds thrower in player A1.  A2 is on the other side of the paint but he is guarded by B1.  A1 has the ball out of bounds.  A2 steps out of bounds leaving the defender B1 no one to guard. A1 passes the ball to A2 who is out of bounds.  A1 steps in bounds and receives the pass from A2.

While the offense was shooting a foul, an off-balance defensive player pushed anoffense player into the lane to avoid her own violation. The call was a violation on offense. Correct call?

Asked by webstone over 10 years ago

Doesn't sound like a correct call. The violation should have been ignored OR a pushing foul should have been called.

While the ball is in flight for free throw the horn sounds incorrectly. What happens if the shot: a) is made; b) is missed?

Asked by Zephyr almost 11 years ago

The buzzer does not make the ball dead. Players should play on until they hear a whistle. Once possession has been established or the basket made the refs should blow the whistle, stop play and check with the timer to find out why the horn sounded.

I am a registered official with two other USOC sports and have officiated on a National and World level. At a recent AAU State tourney I watched a ref behave in a way that would be an Ethics or Code of conduct Violation. Where do you report this?

Asked by AAU Basketball Dad almost 11 years ago

I certainly encourage you to report this. Most people officiate because they love the game, and if you love the game you have a duty to do anything in your power to advance the avocation of refereeing. I suggest you find out who ran the AAU tournament and voice your concerns. Because of your background, meaning you have training and experience and do not appear to be simply a biased, ticked off untrained parent, the AAU tournament director should be willing to tell you who the assigner of the officials was for the tournament and you should contact him/her directly.

I think most states would not allow an official complaint at the state licensing level because AAU tournaments are not normally state sanctioned contests even though they only hire "patched state officials".

During an unmerited free-throw, the shot is missed and the team member rebounds and scores 2 points. Can the 2 points be cancelled as part of the corr. error (unmerited FT)? Rule 2.10 Art. 4 says "FT and activity during-cancel. Art 5 says count it.

Asked by Jim in Jacksonville almost 11 years ago

No, the points should not be cancelled because the free throw ended "when it is certain the try was unsuccessful". The points were scored after the free throw ended, but before the error was recognized. When you are able to correct an error, "points scored, consumed time and additional activity, which shall occur prior to the recognition of an error shall not be nullified.

If a coach steps on the court of play and a referee runs into the coach while running down the court is it a technical foul.

Asked by Joel Mac almost 12 years ago

Yes, it is a direct technical foul.  It is dangerous and unsportsman-like.