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

with 9 seconds remaining. while in bounding the ball on a set play the scorekeeper sounds the buzzer and the basket is taken away. with no time outs they run the same play this time defender just holds onto the player and tackles him to the ground

Asked by bob over 12 years ago

Time stops when an offical: signals a foul, held ball or violation, stops play for an injury or score inquiry, grants a time out, or responds to the scorer signal.  SO, unless the referees stopped play with their whistle PLAY ON and the basket should count.  That is why players are coached to stop on the whistle, not the buzzer.

If the officials did stop play when they heard the buzzer, it sounds like a foul should have been called.  Either way, as you desribe it officiating mistakes were made.

If a team inbounds the ball and rolls the ball in order to not start the clock, can a 5-second "delay of game" call be made (e.g., on the inbounder)?

Asked by Naphie about 11 years ago

No. The 5 second count is independent of the game clock. On a thrown in, the team has 5 seconds to RELEASE the ball. Here's the rule:

"Once the throw in starts, the ball shall be released on a pass directly into the court before 5 seconds has elapsed."

NOTE: The throw in starts when the ball is at the disposal of throw in player. So when the throw in player lets go of the ball, the 5 count restriction is satisfied.

So basically to protect myself from now on ill be recording all my daughter games. And what can be done as a parent when a ref officates a terrible game?

Asked by Ronald Poke over 11 years ago

The assignment chairperson should never entertain your tape. Your coach probably tapes the games and the coach (or athletic director) should deal with the quality of the officiating. In my opinion you are getting in too deep, without a real understanding of how the officials are trained. For example, they may see what you are yelling about but they may be making an "Advantage Disadvantage" judgement (this is discussed in a previous question).

What if..taking ball out under own basket ..throw near midcourt when guy jumps from frontcourt catches and lands in backcourt...or is in backcourt, jumps, catches and lands in frontcort...either of these 2 O&B????

Asked by imaxfli over 12 years ago

During normal play, when a player catches the ball in air he is considered to be in the court he alighted from. Suppose Team A has the ball in possession in A's frontcourt. Player A1 jumps from the backcourt, catches the ball in air and lands in the frontcourt.  This is a backcourt violation. 

HOWEVER, there are two exceptions: 1) if a defensive player jumps from his backcourt, catches the ball and lands in his frontcourt, and 2) on any throw in.

In your question, it is a throw in and so the exception applies. No backcourt violation.

Two players jump for rebound. Player A has two hand on the ball, B tries to flick the ball out while doing that B's hand has some contacts within A's inner arms. A calls 'foul', is it a valid call? everything happens while both on air.

Asked by Antux almost 12 years ago

Technically slapping the arm of an opponent is a foul.  Inpractice, a referee should use his judgement to determine if that action caused a turnover.  If it did, the foul should be called.  

In your question, you ask if A calls a foul which makes me believe that you are playing without an official.  In pickup games, often rough play is tolerated and calling a slap on the arm is considered weak sometimes.  

In a game my player fouled out.but before he was asked fo leave the floor the ref handed the ball to the shooter who made a free throw while the other ref was telling me I needed a sub.does the free throw stand or a reshot after my substitute enters?

Asked by coach kepaz over 12 years ago

There are 5 correctible errors in the rule book and failing to remove a player with 5 fouls is NOT one of them.  The free throw stands and the ref has egg on his face for rushing and not making sure his partner was ready.  But it is not correctible.

Defensive player A fouls Offensive player B on the way to the basket. Player B takes another step and charges hard into defensive player C standing under the basket. Is there an offensive foul as well?

Asked by Pittfall over 11 years ago

This is an unusual play with the foul on defensive player A being called. Normally, a second foul could is ignored as long as it is unintentional because the first foul made the ball dead. If the offensive player is on the ground and fouled, then steps into a charge the charge would be ignored.

But here is an interesting twist. What if Offensive player B is an airborne shooter fouled in the act of shooting by defender A but plows into defender B before touching the floor. The ball is not dead when an airborne shooter is fouled until they hit the floor so technically this could be called a simultaneous foul and go to the possession arrow. In practice, most officials will call the foul on defender A and ignore the subsequent player control foul (charge).