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

A player dribbles the ball and picks it up with two hands. He then drops the ball, can he pick it up without impunity?

Asked by Arthur Puritz over 8 years ago

It is a judgement call. If the player did not intentionallyvdrop the ball it is a muff or fumble and he can pick it up ... but not dribble again.

Would you call this a foul or a block when a player goes for a simple underhand layup and the defender puts his arms across your body and cups the ball on top preventing you from extending your hand up and going forward.

Asked by RonanC about 8 years ago

Assuming the arm across did not cause contact, then when 2 oppposing players push the ball simultaneously in opposite directions it is a jump ball.

Now days knee pads are very common. We love the idea in that it promotes effort and aggressiveness but... if a player starts to slide, then grabs a loose ball and.. continues to slide another foot or three... Is this traveling?

Asked by Jeromy about 9 years ago

If a player has possession of the ball and slides it should be travelling.

Team B full court press. Team A inbounder cant find a teammate, count approaches 5, fires the ball directly at Team B kid denying inbound pass. Team B kid is hurt. Game stopped and Team B player taken out of game. Some type of foul on Team A?

Asked by midd44 about 9 years ago

It is a legitimate basketball play to bounce the ball off of a defender hoping the ball then goes directly out of bounds. There is no prohibition against that. HOWEVER, if a player purposely throws the ball at an opponent to hurt or intimidate him, that is an unsportsmanlike technical foul. So, it is up to the judgement of the officials.

What constitutes a foul being on the ground or not?

Asked by Riley about 9 years ago

There is no distinction in the rule book about being on the ground except 1) a player who alights and shoots the ball is called an airborne shooter until he comes back to the ground, and if fouled even after releasing the ball the airborne shooter is in the act of shooting and 2) a player is considered to be in the act of shooting if he begins the habitual motion of shooting a try regardless of being on the floor or in the air.

Why are so insulting to the pro leagues? You sound exactly like a typical high school type. The pros have the best players playing at the highest level, putzo. A WMCA pickup game?umbass remark. Diana DTaurasi, Sheryl Swoopes = remarkable players

Asked by Adam about 9 years ago

The nba has the best basketball players in the world, as you suggest. No question. But that doesnt mean the pro game is the best spectator game to watch. I dont like the fact that rarely do defensive teams press because ball hanflers are so good, i dont like the calculated fouling of poor free throw shooters, i dont like the isolation half court game, the lack of fast break basketball ..particularly in the eastern conference and physical moving screens. I respect anyone's preferences, including a stranger who calls me putso. If you like the nba go watch it.

After the game Coach receives a technical.
Officials confirm the scorers book and exit the court down a tunnel. Completely off of the court and only visual if you look down the tunnel. 1 official returns to call a 2nd technical. Is it legal?

Asked by JP about 8 years ago

First, once the game has ended a coach cannot be tagged with a technical foul UNLESS the game is tied before the technical foul and is heading into overtime. In Illinois, postgame inappropriate behavior should be written up to the state for further adjudication.

Furthermore, according to Rule 2, Section 2, Article 4, "The jurisdiction of the officials is terminated and the final score is approved when all officials leave the visual confines of the playing area. So, when all officials are in the tunnel leading away from the court their jurisdiction is done.