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

how many day will a high school player get suspended for if he got 2 technical fouls ?

Asked by john over 12 years ago

NFHS does not specify any post game punishments as these are left to the state organizations.  In Illinois, if a coach or player is disqualified because of 2 technical fouls or 1 flagarant technical foul, he is suspended from participating in the next scheduled contest.

Betond these, the state reserves the right to impose stiffer sanctions if necessary.

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).

I was going for a loose ball that was headed out of bounds. A player from the opposite team slapped my wrist hard causing my hand to hit the ball out of bounce. Is this a foul?

Asked by JOhn almost 12 years ago

Technically, you cannot ever slap an opponent's wrist or hand unless it is on the ball.  But in practice, good referees would be focusing on the palyers' torsos because that is where a meaningful foul is most likely to happen.

Let's suppose that I saw the play with exact clarity.  The player who slapped your hand "caused" the ball to go out of bounds, and unless the slap was forceful or flagarant, I would call the ball out (violation not foul) - last touched by your opponent and give your team the throw in.

Can a referee eject a fan from a AAU basketball because they're yelling out ref, that's walk8ng

Asked by Lan over 10 years ago

Yes.

During a high school game, if the official book of the home team has recorded 5 fouls for a player, can the official overturn a foul based solely on the visiting coach complaining the player only had 4? Otherwise, there was no evidence it was wrong.

Asked by Cynthia over 12 years ago

A referee can order the scorer to change something in the book, if and only if the offical has direct knowledge that there is an error in the book.  For example, if the ref knows a shot was called a 2 point shot but the scoreboard and book have it as a 3, the ref can get it changed.  So in your question it depends on whether the coach brought something to official's attention that the ref knew without doubt was correct, he can change it.  But if the ref got bullied by the coach into changing something the ref is not 100% positive then the ref should not work any games anymore.

When a player is dunking or in the air to put the ball into the hoop; what are the rules the offensive player must follow about having contact with his legs/knees/thigh and the defensive players head/upper body? thx

Asked by Noahhunter almost 12 years ago

A player who establishes valid court position has the air rights vertically. In practice, if an offensive player clips his knee on the defenders chest, it normally will not be called.

DIAGONAL DIVE DROP STEP... how is this move NOT a travel? both feet move before the shot is taken

2:35 of the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef2sY59Ko8k

Asked by mike w almost 11 years ago

OK, here is what I saw. He gets the ball while both feet are planted. So either foot can be the pivot foot. He lifts up his left foot which makes his right foot his pivot foot. he then steps onto his left foot and lifts his right foot. At this point he cannot move or slide his left foot nor can he touch the right foot on the floor. From here he must shoot or pass. Looks to me like a legitimate basketball move and no violation.

It is hard to understand this fact about traveling: it is not illegal to lift your pivot foot per se. If you could not lift your pivot foot how could you ever shoot a traditional layup?