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

While in the air, grabbing a rebound, in one motion I land on both feet and the ball touches the ground with it in both my hands, never letting it go, what can't I do?

Asked by Audelio almost 9 years ago

If your hands are on top of the ball pushing it to the floor it is double dribble. If the ball drops and you pick it up it could be a muff, and if you lift one foot the other will be the pivot. Then you can dribble.

2 freethrows, on 1st attempt, "After" shootr releases ball defendr boxes him out. Whats the correct call?

Asked by Rex about 10 years ago

In NFHS rules, a non-free thrower cannot enter the lane until the ball hits the rim or backboard. Assuming there was no harsh contact and that the player blocking out entered after the ball hit something (or went in) this should be a no call.

O1 is standing in his lane and is about to get a three second count when his teammate takes a shot that never touches the rim or backboard. O1 catches the ball and then dribbles in the lane before passing. Is this a three second violation?

Asked by Alfredo about 10 years ago

In NFHS rules, the three second restriction is lifted when a legitimate try for the basket goes up. Note that it does not say "when the ball hits the ring". So the first part of your question's answer is no, there is no three second violation because once a try goes up there is no team possession anymore. Secondly, in NFHS rules any player can retrieve an air ball shot as long as it was deemed a legitimate try. Once retrieved, team and player possession are reestablished, and he gets a new 3 second count if he is still in the lane.

Is it legal for the official to remove a player from the game after a flagrant foul:
There was about 5 secs left, our point guard intentionally(harshly) fouls opponent, is ejected, the ref attempts to scoot him off, our player shoves off, legal?J.H.

Asked by Casey over 9 years ago

A single flagrant foul results in a disqualification in NFHS rules.

team A inbounding ball under their offensive hoop. ball is thrown in, inadvertently the horn goes off {20 left on shot clock}, Team A lays it in. good hoop or not?.. call made was inadvertent whistle, no hoop {neither ref actually blew a whistle}

Asked by midd44 over 9 years ago

There is a long running example of this in previous case books from NFHS: "If the scorer signals the horn when the ball is live, the officials shall ignore the signal if a scoring play is in progress. Otherwise the officials may stop play to determine why the horn was sounded."

In your scenario, count the basket, then blow the whistle (because a scoring play was going on while the horn was originally sounded.

Follow-up: Is this the correct call to make? Calling the technical % wise giving the advantage to the offending team. Free lay-up is guaranteed 2 points. Assume FT% is 80% and avg team fg % .3-.4. Calling the tech seems to remove there advantage.

Asked by Ryan over 9 years ago

True. It is the same halt in advantage as an intentional foul which stops a breakaway. The rules try to take care of this by awarding 2 free throws plus the ball. However, I agree. Although I never ran into an intentional T to stop a breakaway, it would be good practice to let the player finish the layup or jump shot and then call the T.

Follow up to the block/charge question 2 down. For screens, when a defender is blind to a screen they may take a huge hit. I see this called a foul on the screener ~75% of the time. Is that call correct? Is the screener flexing his shoulder illegal?

Asked by Bball Right about 10 years ago

Here are the screening rules:1) when screening a stationary opponent from the front or side, the screener may be anywhere short of contact.2) when screening a stationary opponent from behind the screener must allow the opponent one normal step backward3) when screening a moving opponent the screener must allow the opponent time and distance to avoid contact. The speed of the player to be screened will determine where the screener may set up. This may vary and may be one to two normal steps.4) when screening a player moving in the same direction, the player behind is responsible for all contact.