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

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

651 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

Thanks for last answer. The coach taught the boys that when dribble driving, swat a defender's reaching arms upward and away with the free arm to have a clear shot. I heard that violated nfhs 4-24-7 but I didn't see the latest text. True? Thanks.

Asked by rodkovel@juno.com almost 12 years ago

In theory, swatting a defender's arms is a violation.  If a defender has the right to a space, swatting his arms is a foul.  But if the defender is handchecking (or forearm checking) an experienced ref would either call a foul on the defender, or not call anything. Instead he could warn both players to keep their arms off each other.  Unfortunately, often the offensive player gets caught swatting because the ref missed the initial armcheck.

If a player is inbounds with the ball, and that player's body is contacted by a player on the same team, that is out of bounds, is the ball considered out of bounds with a change of possession

Asked by Colby over 11 years ago

The ball is still inbounds, unless the player who is out of bounds touches the ball.   So, in your question, assuming the out of bounds player is not touching the ball ...  PLAY ON!

Two players try for rebound. One has two hand on the ball, on the way down before touching the floor, he dropped the ball. He picked up and dribble again, is it considered travel?
What's considered clear possession?

Asked by Anh almost 11 years ago

A player is allowed to fumble the ball after gaining possession, and then dribble if he has not dribbled heretofore.  BUT, the fumble has to be unintentional in the eyes of the official.

If the opponent of the free thrower commits a lane violation and the free throw is an air ball, would the free thrower get a substitute throw or is this considered a simultaneous violation?

Asked by L. Rouse over 10 years ago

I would consider it a simultaneous violation. If there was to be a second free throw, then shoot it. If not, go to the alternating possession arrow.

However, if the opponent committed the violation BEFORE the free throw shooter released the ball then the first is penalized and the second is ignored.

How do referees decide which side of the court to take the ball out on after a timeout called when the ball is in the front court?

Asked by George over 11 years ago

The placement of a throw in after a time out is the same as the placement after a violation or a non-shooting foul.  The spot should be perpendiclar to nearest sideline oe endline.  So imagine a diagonal line from the elbow of the free throw line to the corner of the sideline/endline. If the ball was on the sideline area of that line then find a perpendicular line to the sideline. If it is on the other side of the diagonal then the ball goes to the endline.  If the ball was in the paint, then it is taken out on the endline at the closest line of the paint - never on the endline directly under the basket.

if a defender hits the ball first in attempting to block a shooter's shot and then the shooter's arm continues forward and hits the defenders vertical arm is this a blocked shot or a foul warranting two shots for the shooter?

Asked by Stan over 11 years ago

The defender always has the rights to his vertical space whether he hits the ball or not. Based on how you describe it, I would see it as a good block, no foul.

On March 31st 2014 the Climb CDC “Thunder” played a 7:00 pm game at Gaston Point Community Center against the “Shot Callaz”.

This was a game sanctioned by your league.

During the game there was a bench clearing incident where several players fr

Asked by LIL DOG over 11 years ago

If NFHS rules are being enforced,  leaving the bench to join the fight is a flagrant technical foul resulting in immediate player ejection.  However, if more than one player from a team leaves the bench the other team shoots only 2 technical shots even though multiple players are ejected from the game. In Illinois all the ejected players are also suspended for the next game.  AAU and other league rules may differ.