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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651 Questions

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

If a player was shooting a 3, and another defender flies by and touches the ball but ball goes in the basket then is it counted or not ?

Asked by HS over 8 years ago

It would count as a three point shot. It does not matter where the defender is standing.

Can you set a screen on both sides of a player at the top of the key? (Pin them from both sides so the guard can pick whichever way they want to go) they looked at me crazy when i told them it seemed wrong in 3rd grade.

Asked by Brad Yarnall over 8 years ago

Yes you can. The same blocking and picking rules apply.

Called time out after inbounding ball. Ref didmt grant until ball was close to top of key. Where do you inbound the ball? Spot of where called or granted ?

Asked by Coach V almost 8 years ago

It is based on where the ball was when timeout was granted. Then draw a diagonal from the edge of the free throw line to the baseline sideline intersection. If the ball was toward the backcourt side of this area (trapezoid) then sideline throwin. If inside the trapezoid but not 3 seconds, draw a perpendicular to the endlibe.

Is it illegal for a defensive player to purposely start blowing in the offensive players face? I assume this would fall under an unsportsmanlike conduct foul, but not sure.

Asked by Alan almost 8 years ago

This is a new one for me! Yes, I would call it unsportsmanlike.

Does "hand on the ball is part of the ball" rule apply in FIBA as well as NBA?
I wasn't able to find any authentic source mentioning it in FIBA.

Asked by Afshin over 7 years ago

I dont know about fiba but in nfhs thst is true.

So if you are dribbling at the paint like your also posting someone up. And you grab the ball to spin around them with your hands on the ball and your elbows out to the side, plus your reaching your leg around them to spin around them. Is that a foul

Asked by Jordan v over 7 years ago

As an offensive player, you are entitled to only your vertical space. If your elbows are outside your body's vertical space then any contact is a player control foul.

If a player has given up his dribble, but has dropped the ball, can he pick it up and pass it?

Asked by TJ over 7 years ago

Yes, if it is deemed unintentional. In the rulebook.it is called a muff.