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 a player receives his fifth foul which results in free throws can the first free throw be shot before the player that has fouled out is removed from the game

Asked by Rick over 11 years ago

No.  The correct protocol when a player fouls out is this: the scorer normally informs the ref that the player assessed with the last foul has fouled out.  The ref lets the coach know that the player has fouled out and he has 30 seconds to send in a substitute.  Once the fouled out player leaves the court and the substitute is beckoned in, then the free throws can start.  By the way, if there are other subs at the time the player is being replaced, then all of them should be beckoned in.  Normally you would wait until there is only one free throw left (or a one and one) before sending subs in.

Team A is inbounding the ball after a dead ball. They have 5 people on the court and the 6th one is handed the ball from the referee. We immediately started calling for a technical as that meant 6 players on the court. Is this correct?

Asked by tim over 10 years ago

Yes, the ball becomes live when it is at the disposal of the thrower on a throw in.  It is illegal to have 6 players when the ball is live.  Should be a technical.

BUT, it is also poor officiating by the referee crew, because one of the throw in officials' partners should be counting players (after time out for example) and preventing this situation from arising.

If a person has the ball with two hands and keeps their pivot foot...can u touch the ball on the floor to abstain from falling? Does the ball touching the floor count as a dribble even though it never leaves your hands?

Asked by Ty about 11 years ago

Actually, a dribble ends when you put two hands on the ball.  But even if you have not dribbled already, putting two hands on the ball on the floor is normally called double dribble.

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 over 10 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.

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 over 10 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.

Can a tech be called after the game is over?

Asked by Nick about 10 years ago

There is no provision in the NFHS rulebook which addresses any foul after the game. Each state has bylaws which might impose penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct outside the auspicies of the on-court officials. The referees' jurisdiction ends after they have validated the score and they leave the confines of the court. If something happened after the end of the game I was officiating I would write an incident report and send it to the state for action or disposal.

What is the correct call when a player reaches over the end line and knocking the ball out of the inbounds player hands?

Asked by melo over 11 years ago

In NFHS rules, when player A1 reaches through the plane on team B's throw in WITHOUT touching player B1, the referee shall issue a delay of game warning on the first occurence.  If it happens the second time, it is a technical foul.

If player A1 reaches through the plane and hits the ball or the player, then it is a technical foul immediately.  So, the direct answer to your question is a technical foul.