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

Is it Outabounds if the ball hits the back of the backboard

Asked by Hodgkin over 8 years ago

Yes. Also on a rectangular backboard if yhe ball goes over the top it is out of bounds.

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

Asked by Matt over 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.

How many players are allowed to suit up for a regular season NCAA D3 men's basketball team? In addition, a NCAA D3 tournament game?

Asked by Delta Cook almost 9 years ago

I am not conversant with current ncaa rules. Sorry.

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 over 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.

just wanted to say thank you for answering my questions !! Your Awesome!!! Thanks again.

Asked by Doug about 8 years ago

You are welcome!

thanks!!! your shot clock answer got me thinking...so any contact between ball & rim is a reset. if the player got fouled throwing the ball at the rim from directly under the hoop would it be a shooting foul?

Asked by midd44 over 8 years ago

As long as the refs believe it is a legitimate try, it is a shooting foul.

When driving to the basket, how much can you use your off hand to swat away the defender's reaching hand and how much can you legally push the defender?

Asked by Jay over 9 years ago

In theory, you cannot use your hand to swat away the defender. In practice, I think it is a judgement call by the official. If I were working games my judgement would be based on whether the hand swat created any kind of advantage for the offense.