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

Can a tech be called after the game is over?

Asked by Nick over 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 if i rebound the ball, and the i take a shot,but it doesn't touch the ball through the ring or board. can i still catch it again?

Asked by july about 10 years ago

Yes you can in NFHS rules as long as the shot was a legitimate try. If the referee deemed it not to be a legitimate shot it should be called traveling.

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 almost 12 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.

If there is a violation on one and one free-throw by the defense of the offense made the first free-throw violations on the second free-throw do we start the whole process over again like it never happened??

Asked by Marvin over 12 years ago

Not sure what situation you are asking about.  If this does not answer your question please rephrase it.  So, if the free throw shooter has the ball and the defense commits a violation in a one-and-one, the referee should hold one arm parrallel to the floor to indicate a delayed call.  If the free throw goes in then the violation is ignored.  If the free throw is missed, then the one-and-one is restarted from the beginning.  If the ball was not at the disposal of the free throw shooter and a violation occurs, it should be ignored and the process reset.

is there a rule about which referee gives the ball to the foul shooter - does it have to be the ref under the basket throwing it to him or can it be one of the outside refs handing it to him?

Asked by seth over 12 years ago

It is not a rule, but rather it is a mechanic perscribed in the NFHS Handbook.  It used to be that the trailing referee would hand the ball to the free throw shooter for the first attempt and the lead (on the endline) would administer the rest of the free throws.  Maybe ten years ago, it was changed so that the proper mechanic is for the lead official administer all free throws from the baseline.  Most referees cannot advance if they do not follow the perscribed mechanics.  Most importantly, mechanics set a consistent way of working a game, so that you can easily work with people you have never been assigned with, and secondly, following perscribed mechanics sets a professional expectation for coaches and assignment chairpersons to evaluate (in addition to judgement, hustle, and rules knowledge).

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 about 12 years ago

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

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 almost 12 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.