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

at the start of a game the referee had the players going the wrong way, Team a got the ball and scored in what should have been team b basket. what is the correct call for this

Asked by Dave almost 10 years ago

Team A gets to keep the scored baskets. Turn the players around to the correct direction and resume play.

A player drives hard to the basket. He puts his shoulder in the defender chest, jumps up and score. The collision and the shot is almost at the same time. The referee calls for an offensive foul, the ball is in the air. Does the basket still counts?

Asked by Max almost 10 years ago

No. In NFHS rules, a basket cannot count if an offensive foul is called on the shooter.

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 almost 10 years ago

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

Where does it say that a referee can through someone out of an high school basketball game? I need it in black and white.

Asked by Dana about 10 years ago

Your question makes me think you have been tossed out of a gym and you object. Here it is in black and white.

In the NFHS rulebook, Rule 2 Officials and Their Duties, Section 8 Officials Additional Duties, Article 1, "The officials shall penalize unsporting conduct by any player, coach, substitute, team attendant or follower.In the same section under Article 1, "NOTE: The home management or game committee is responsible for spectator behavior, insofar as it can be reasonably be expected to control the spectators.The officials may rule fouls on either team if its spectators act in such a way as to interfere with the proper conduct of the game … When team supporters become unruly or interfere with the orderly progress of the game, the officials shall stop the game until the home management resolves the situation and the game can proceed in in an orderly manner."

In practice the way this works is an official notifies home management that a fan's behavior is unacceptable and the officials ask that home management eject the fan. Home management always complies because to refuse would force the official to penalize the home team starting with technical fouls potentially leading to a forfeited game. I only asked home management to throw out a handful of people in 20 years of officiating and they never refused my requests.

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 almost 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.

Player from Team A outleaps player from Team B at the tipoff. While he is the 1st to the ball, player from Team A tips it to Team B who controls possession. Who gets the ball next jump ball? (NCAA rules)

Asked by Philip almost 10 years ago

Ok. First there is no possession on the tip. So player A1 (jumper) tips the ball - no possession. Then, the ball comes to A2 who tips the ball to B1.  

If A2 tipped the ball in a controlled manner, then A2 had possession and the arrow is set to team B.  If A2 did not control the ball when A2 tipped it, then team B got the first possession and the arrow is set to team A.

if the buzzer sounds at the end of the game and the ref blows her whistle at the same time, can she extend the time on the clock to give a team two foul shots?

Asked by Antonietta almost 10 years ago

Even though the buzzer sounds if the shot left the shooters hand before time expired, the ball is live and the shot counts. If the shooter was fouled in the act of shooting at the end of the game, if making any of the free throws could matter to the outcome of the game the lane is cleared and the free throws are attempted.