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

Team B gets and1 but I, a player of team A ask the ref before Team B shoots the free throw how many shots. The ref told me 2. The shot missed, Team B got the rebound, as I wasn't boxing out. The refs talk it out, Team B gets the ball. Whats the call?

Asked by Ryan almost 8 years ago

There are 5 correctable errors related to free throws and none of them involve your situation. The ref made a mistake, but team b gets the ball.

Can a defensive player move without establishing position when taking a charge? I have the director of my city arguing with me on his interpretation of the rule that says a player can move but he is not considering they must establish LGP.

Asked by Alan almost 8 years ago

To take a charge, a player must establish legal guarding position. That does not mean you have to stop. For example you could be defending while moving backwards, and you get run over - you established your right to the space, which is legal guarding position and it is a charge.

JV, late, we are +25. 1 man backcourt press; he flattens their pick. Their kid was ready to fight; 5 of ours left the bench, kept them apart, and were ejected. Is there discretion or zero tolerance? Those kids stopped the fight before it began. Tx

Asked by Rodk almost 8 years ago

Yes, there is no discretion in the rulebook for this. Coming off the bench to join a fight is immediate ejection. But, the refs could have used some common sense - for example in Illinois an ejection also means the player sits out the next game. So if the refs could have inferred that they came onto the court and were not going to fight, maybe they could look the other way. This is strictly my opinion, as the rulebook is clear ... ejection.

On an inbounds play after a made basket, can the inbounding player dribble the ball while still out of bounds?

Asked by Oldhoopster almost 8 years ago

Yes. But if he bounces the ball inbounds it would be a violation.

Hello I was wondering about centrifugal force. If you apply this to baskwtball, is it illegal. Technically, your in act of dribbling and your not palming the ball or having your hand be underneath the ball. So I using centrifugal force legal?

Asked by Joe over 7 years ago

If you use centrifical force to move and control the ball you are carrying the ball in violation of the dribbling rules if you have given up your pivot foot.

Time expires while shot in air. Ball bounces before going through hoop, untouched by a player. Does it count?

Asked by Matt almost 8 years ago

A try (rulebook jargon for a shot) ends when it is clear that it will not go directly in the ring. So if a try goes up in the air and then bounces on the floor, the try ended, and in your example time ran out. No basket.

What if the game was in the city playoffs can the referee still review a play?

Asked by Amalia almost 8 years ago

Again , only if stste rules allow..in illinois a city championship cannot use video replay.