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

Is "carrying the ball" not in the rule book anymore, because most all dribbles are such?

Asked by daveb about 12 years ago

Carrying the ball is one of ways the rule book states that a dribble comes to an end.  So the very next dribble should be called as a double dribble if the player carried the ball prior to the subsequent dribble.  My opinion is that refs have allowed too much carrying to go on - the dribbler gains too much control of the basketball if you let a player cup or turn over the ball.

Is a referee considered to be apart of the court

Asked by Zach riordan almost 12 years ago

Well, the referee is considered to be part of the floor where he is standing.  If he is out of bounds and the ball touches him, it is out of bounds.  If he is in bounds and the ball touches him, play on.

What is the call if a team starts a play after a time out with 4 players?

Asked by ed over 11 years ago

I call it bad preventative officiating. One of the officials should count the players after each time out, and prevent the play from starting until you have ten players on the floor. However, once the play starts the fifth player cannot come back in until there is a dead ball whistle.

8th grade AAU basketball tournament. at buzzer score was 59-56. we were winning. the opposing team scored 2. he shot it in near foul line. score is 59-58 on the board. coaches come on court arguing it was 3. senior ref changes it to 3. why?? it was2

Asked by Amy almost 13 years ago

There is no provision for a referee to overrule another official in the Federation rules book, however in practice one official is designated as the referee in a crew with a responsibility to resolve simultaneous calls.  My experience is that before the game this situation is discussed between officials.  I think it is important to get the call correct, but each referee has his own area to watch.  So if I make a call that one of my partners sees a different way I want that official to approach me, tell me what they saw, I give my perspective and then I decided if I will overrule my own decision.  That way I can defend the final outcome.  So, a few principles: 1) a ref should be watching their own area - that is why you have 2 or 3 of them, 2) there is some overlap and sometimes a second look sees something you can miss, and 3) officials should decide how they will consider overruling each other before the game.  Based on your description (that the shot was clearly made from inside the 3 point line), regardless of how the ref's changed the call they apparently got it wrong. 

B-1 commits fifth foul and is disqualifies. after the warning horn, B-6 replaces. B-1. as B-6 is beckoned into the game A-6 reports to ener the game. the timer sounds the horn. official denies A-6 from enering the game since the warning horn had soun

Asked by Mbehart@aol.com over 12 years ago

OK, we need some common sense here.  Normally after a time out and the warning horn sounds, a player would be denied entering the game.  This is to eliminate delays due to substitution gamesmanship (in pro hockey for example the home team has "last substitute").  But in the case where a coach has 30 seconds to replace a fouled out player this rule should not, and does not apply to either team.  If common sense prevails, the officials should let  A-6 in the game. 

can Substitute A6 enter the court wearing a leg compression sleeve for medical reasons

Asked by candyman007 over 11 years ago

The answer is yes.  A rule change for this coming season (2014-15)  in NFHS rules states: Arm sleeves, knee sleeves, lower leg sleeves and tights are permissable as long as they meet the color and logo restrictions.

What should a referee do to call a team on the floor after a timeout? The team with possession came on, then the ref quickly blew the whistle and gave the ball to inbound, but the other team's players weren't on the floor.

Asked by weekendref over 11 years ago

Technically speaking, it is a technical team foul for not coming onto the court in a timely manner after a time out or start of a quarter or overtime.  Preventive officiating would dictate giving the team a little leaway to come onto the court, but if a coach refuses then a T should be called.

Sounds like the ref was confused because if the possession team is slow to come on the court it is legitimate to put the ball down on the throw in area and begin a five count.  However, when the defense refuses to come out, T is the appropriate penalty, not putting the ball in play without the defense.