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 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.

White has alternating possession arrow. Following a held ball, black flagrantly fouls white. Technical free throws and possession are awarded. Who now has possession arrow? I'm assuming white.

Asked by Rob over 10 years ago

Correct. The possession was never given to white so the arrow still stays white.

on a break pass a player knocks ball down w/ r-hand, holds ball w/ both hands( defender in front of him), then dribbles left past d. Isn't the knock down his first dribble?

Asked by rimbreaker about 11 years ago

If the player controlled the pass and purposely knocked the ball down, then it began his dribble.  If the player reached out to catch the ball and the ball fell to the ground, then it is a muff and did not start the dribble.  It is a judgement call by the official.

If a player blocks a shot, but follows through and hits the shoulder of the player shooting, is it a clean block or a foul?

Asked by David almost 11 years ago

Normally, contact after a blocked shot would be considered incidental. So unless the contact is intentional or extremely harsh I would let it go.

On a full court inbounds pass that goes the length of the court but is never touched, but a foul is called when the ball sails over the players head. Where is the ball thrown in from after the foul?

Asked by Cliff over 10 years ago

The ball should be spotted at a point near the foul. It only comes back to the original thrown if it is not touched or there are no fouls called before the ball is out of bounds.

Question: Is a free throw that doesn't touch the rim considered to be violation by the free thrower?

Asked by L. Rouse almost 11 years ago

Yes.