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651 Questions

Last Answer on September 20, 2019

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 about 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.

729 Votes

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 over 10 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.

727 Votes

I was fouled and the ref under the basket called 2 shots. Shot and missed the first one, caught it and threw it back to the ref. The side ref said it was a one and one after I gave it to the ref and they ended up calling it a jump ball.

Asked by Harlin Wolfe about 11 years ago

Since awarding the 2nd free throw was in error, and even if it was correctible, play resumes from the point discovered, and all points scored and fouls remain intact. So the ref should have dropped the ball and play on. There is no provision to use a jump ball to fix a misapplication of a rule.

As a practical matter, awarding a jump is less awkward than the chaos of handing it correctly.

724 Votes

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 almost 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!

722 Votes

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when counting for 3 second rule, do you count 3 then whistle
or count 4 then whistle

Asked by rimbreaker almost 11 years ago

The rules states that a player cannot be in the paint for 3 or more seconds, so technically when you get to three it is a violation. HOWEVER, as I have stated before I rarely called 3 seconds. 1) I tried to talk players out, and 2) it is the perfect advantage disadvantage call. That is I only called it when it made a difference tp the play - for example a player getting an offensive rebound after camping out.

722 Votes

if a player dribbles the basketball, while dribbling gets it knocked out of their hands, picks up the ball with both hands, than dribbles again, is that a double dribble?

Asked by djvyce about 11 years ago

The dribble ends when the ball is knocked away, and so does player possession. So, if you pick up the ball and dribble it is not double dribble. You can pick up a ball with two hands as long as you are lifting up. If you push down with two hands it is double dribble.

722 Votes

If yo shoot from behind the board but yet inside the court, ball bounces on the top of the board and goes into the court / is that out of bounds or not?

Asked by a.stjepanovic@gmail.com over 10 years ago

If the ball goes over the top of a rectangular backboard in either direction it is out of bounds.

If the ball goes over the top of a fan backboard it stays in play.

721 Votes

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Basketball Referee

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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?

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?

I was fouled and the ref under the basket called 2 shots. Shot and missed the first one, caught it and threw it back to the ref. The side ref said it was a one and one after I gave it to the ref and they ended up calling it a jump ball.

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

Also on Jobstr...

when counting for 3 second rule, do you count 3 then whistle
or count 4 then whistle

if a player dribbles the basketball, while dribbling gets it knocked out of their hands, picks up the ball with both hands, than dribbles again, is that a double dribble?

If yo shoot from behind the board but yet inside the court, ball bounces on the top of the board and goes into the court / is that out of bounds or not?

Basketball Referee

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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?

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?

I was fouled and the ref under the basket called 2 shots. Shot and missed the first one, caught it and threw it back to the ref. The side ref said it was a one and one after I gave it to the ref and they ended up calling it a jump ball.

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

Also on Jobstr...

when counting for 3 second rule, do you count 3 then whistle or count 4 then whistle

if a player dribbles the basketball, while dribbling gets it knocked out of their hands, picks up the ball with both hands, than dribbles again, is that a double dribble?

If yo shoot from behind the board but yet inside the court, ball bounces on the top of the board and goes into the court / is that out of bounds or not?

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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?

when counting for 3 second rule, do you count 3 then whistle
or count 4 then whistle