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

Hello Mr. Referee,

I attach a link to a video about Curry's cathing a ball:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=21&v=YHOGaXtjxZs

Why is that it is not a foul? He is touching the ball with two hands...

Sorry if the question is too lame :)

Asked by isogulaleb over 9 years ago

The link you provided showed Curry being pushed from behind while dunking the ball. In high school it definitely would be a foul, basket good.

team A inbounding ball under their offensive hoop. ball is thrown in, inadvertently the horn goes off {20 left on shot clock}, Team A lays it in. good hoop or not?.. call made was inadvertent whistle, no hoop {neither ref actually blew a whistle}

Asked by midd44 over 9 years ago

There is a long running example of this in previous case books from NFHS: "If the scorer signals the horn when the ball is live, the officials shall ignore the signal if a scoring play is in progress. Otherwise the officials may stop play to determine why the horn was sounded."

In your scenario, count the basket, then blow the whistle (because a scoring play was going on while the horn was originally sounded.

If a game start at 9:45AM. Team B do not have 5 players show up at 9:45AM. At what point you will consider team B lose?

Asked by Lawrence about 11 years ago

I never had to call a game a forfeit.  If a team was late, I tried to work with the athletic director to understand why the visitors are late, and what a reasonable start time might be.  The rule book calls for a technical foul toul to be called if the coach has not submitted the roster and designated the starters no later than 10 minutes before start time. Again, I recommend that no official invokes this rule.  Once a team was stuck in Chicago traffic and my partner told the coach when they arrived 45 minutes late that the game would start with a T.  Horrible mistake.

Can a referee order a player to retrieve a basketball that has gone out of bounds? Saw a player start then stop to get a ball that was rolling off the court and went out of bounds. The ref could ask the player to help but can't compel that act

Asked by Chipjr about 9 years ago

You are correct. There is nothing in the rule book which would compel a player to retrieve the ball for an official. The only related rule deals with a player not giving the ball to an official or touching the ball when the other team has possession, like after a basket by your own team. This would be a delay of game.

Hi Ref, can a player blow in another players face? In my daughters game player B1 was playing defense by standing in player A1's face (within 12 inches) even when play was stopped and would repeatedly blow in A1's face. Legal? Thx

Asked by P_Johnston over 9 years ago

I would warn the player that blowing air in the face of an opponent is unsportsmanlike and the next occurance would be a technical foul.

COACH YELLS FOR A TIMEOUT WHILE THE BALL IS NOT IN CONTROL BY EITHER TEAM. WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER GIVING THEM A TECHNICAL FOUL FOR THIS?

Asked by AL over 9 years ago

If I thought that it was a legitimate attempt at a time out, or if it happens the first time then I would ignore the request. If I thought the coach was purposely trying to interfere with the ordinary flow of the game by asking for a time out without possession then I would call an unsportsmanlike technical.

In a high school game in 1963: Player A is fouled severely on a shot & gets two free throws. He is injured on the play and leaves the game not to return. Player B makes both free throws & stays in game. Question: Who is entitled to the points??

Asked by Lonnie H. Duke almost 10 years ago

Player B is awarded the points for the free throws he makes. There are no points awarded for drawing a foul - at least not in NFHS rules.