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

Is it legal for the official to remove a player from the game after a flagrant foul:
There was about 5 secs left, our point guard intentionally(harshly) fouls opponent, is ejected, the ref attempts to scoot him off, our player shoves off, legal?J.H.

Asked by Casey over 10 years ago

A single flagrant foul results in a disqualification in NFHS rules.

can i box out an opponent before their offensive player takes a shot ?

Asked by Kobe54 over 10 years ago

Boxing out is the process of legally getting to a spot on the floor before an opponent gets to the same spot. Most people think of this when you achieve inside rebounding position, and you are able to anticipate your opponent's movement in such a way that you prevent him from moving around you by "blocking" his way. Note this definition is without specification regarding a shot or no shot.

In my experience, the player blocking out is tagged with a foul when he blatantly backs up and dislodges his opponent when making contact, but not usually when both players move laterally.

Hi Rndballref, your insights into reffing have been very helpful! On a fast break, opposition player yells out to distract the ball carrier making a basket. I am unsure of how to call this, but it is frustrating to see in junior b'ball. Thoughts?

Asked by Aussie Ref about 11 years ago

There is no specific prohibition specifying the volume or content of on court expression except the provisions against unsportsmanlike conduct. For some (not me), excessively yelling "ball, ball" by a defender is unsportsmanlike.  

Of course if the vocalization is derogatory or vulgar it would be a technical. You might as a preventative measure talk to the coach and suggest that a player yelling like this is getting close to unsportsmanlike behavior and he should tone it down.

So I am coaching as a volunteer children (8-10) we came to a critical point in the game and I called "TIME TIME TIME" -- The ball was then turned over and the ref turned to me, with me saying nothing, and he said"you have to say TIME OUT" Is this so?

Asked by konopisos@yahoo.com almost 11 years ago

The NFHS rule book lists one of the officials' duties is "granting time-outs". It does not specify that the words "time-out" are used. For example coaches can get a time out by signaling his hand in a "T". So if I heard a coach yelling time, time, time, I would grant that time a time-out.

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 10 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.

Also, is there a rule from preventing a player from stepping into a jump on a tip-off(to obtain a higher jump)?

Asked by Casey over 10 years ago

A jumper can step into the jump but any other player cannot until the ball is tapped.

A player is chasing the ball down as it is going out of bounds. The defending player moves in between him and the ball to block him from getting to it. Is this OK? Can the defender move to do this or does he have to remain stationery?

Asked by Eddie almost 10 years ago

The same rules apply to this situation as blocking out when rebounding. If the "inside" player moves to the spot where the other player is trying to get to, it is ok as long as the inside player gets there before the other player steps or jumps toward that spot. Under this definition, yes, the inside player can keep moving.