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

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 about 8 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.

Zero tolerance for self defense is an awful rule. What if that kid is a goon with a black belt? It could take the whole team to stop him. Ejecting everyone who could defend against or discourage a goon only encourages teams to have and use goons.

Asked by rodk almost 9 years ago

Yes, in the extreme you are right. Most bench players enter the court to fight so the rule is constructed to contain any fisticuffs. But you sight a legit situation where they may save someone, so maybe it should be a judgement call.

Drammond Green is on the list as not playing in today's game . Can the coach change his mind during the game and play him ?

Asked by Debbie over 8 years ago

In NFHS rules a coach must submit a roster of players for that game 10 minutes before the start of the game. It is s technical foulnto insert a player who is not on that list, but it is allowed.

3. My Question: If I maintain my dribble can I jump up and then down again while maintaing my dribble. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSyko1Zq738 (Jason Williams -NBA - "Bunny Hop" at the 1 minute mark). (Legal or Illegal?)

Asked by Doug over 8 years ago

Yes. As i have stated a million times you cannot travel in the middle of a legit dribbling sequence. You can jump, spin around, rub your belly etc., as long as you are able to contunue dribbling after your nonsense without double dribbling.

Team A is in bounding the ball. And team B is guarding the inbounded but is getting to close and crossing the line. Is this delay of game? And if so what happens when you call delay of game?

Asked by Riley Prior over 8 years ago

On the first infraction of ctossing thru the throw in boundary, a warning dhould be called and the scorer should note that in the book. It is a warning unless the defender reaches thru and contacts the player or the ball.

The second violation of any teammate reaching thru without contact or the first contact reaching thru with contact is a technical foul.

Can the player who saved the ball from going Out of bounds be the first player to touch it when he comes back in bounds

Asked by Tim almost 9 years ago

The rule prohibits a player from voluntarily leaving the court. so if the player went out of bounds purposely to get around a defender it is a violation. If however the player jumped to save the ball and landed out of bounds, he may step back in and gain control of the ball. He cannot pick up the ball and dribble, because throwing the ball while saving it constitutes the start of a dribble.

Can a defender put up one arm close his chest to protect him from an offense player drive-in? basically trying to protect the chest from a strong shoulder contact, does it consider a foul?

Asked by Alan about 9 years ago

Yes, he can if the arm is within his vertical space. However, once the defender pushes the arm forward and moves the offensive player (arm bar) then it is a foul,