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

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 over 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.

Why isn't it an offensive foul when a shooting player jumps into the defender? The shooter creates the contact but is always rewarded.

Asked by Crcsda almost 10 years ago

If an offensive player jumps and causes contact within the defender's space it should be called a player control foul, unless the contact did not change the play in a material way (Advantage Disadvantage Theory of Officiating).

Sorry Mr. Referee not being clear enough, I meant the action starting from 0:11 in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=21&v=YHOGaXtjxZs

May I ask your expert opinion on this too? :)

Asked by isogulaleb over 10 years ago

Definitely body contact, In high school ball that would be called a foul.

Referee misses the bonus on a foul and play continues for 20 seconds. Referee realizes mistake and stops play to allow player to shoot the bonus one and one freethrow. Do you put the 20 sec back on the clock?

Asked by Dave over 10 years ago

It is correctable as you describe the play. Put the correct player at the line. All fouls and points which occurred before the error is recognized stand, but no time is put back on the clock.

If when shooting at the basket, the ball is tipped , but hits the rim and goes directly out of bounds, whose ball is it?

Asked by MacDaddy over 10 years ago

If player A1 is shooting and B1 blocks the shot and is last to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds, the throw in is awarded to team A.

Toward the end of the basketball game there was a foul called. The ref came over and said it was either on #20 or #21, he asked who had the most fouls. #21 did so he called the foul on #21 and it fouled him out. Was this the right procedure?

Asked by Heidi over 10 years ago

As of about 10 years ago, NFHS refs are allowed to consult with the scorer's table if they are unsure of who the foul is on, or who the shooter should be. However, it is sloppy officiating in a 3 man crew when none of the officials know who was involved in a foul. In my opinion, it is inappropriate to levy a foul based on personal foul counts. If the table knows with confidence who committed a foul then they can help. Otherwise, the official must determine who fouled, or else don't blow your whistle.

A player slaps a ball handlers hand but there is no change of possession, No advantage to the defense so,,,no foul called, and I slap a players hand to frustrate him the rest of the game. My advantage, I'm not a dirty player but

Asked by rimbreaker almost 10 years ago

The first time you slap him, I pass. The second time I call a foul even if there is no change in advantage because 1) you INTEND to get an advantage, and 2) if you are allowed to slap the player you are going to get punched and the game will deteriate. A good referee has each foul in context....you wouldn't last too long if I officiated your game and you started slapping players hands.