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

2 players dive on the floor for a loose ball. 1 player obtains possession while still on the floor and rolls over a couple of times before he passes the ball .

Is this considered traveling

Asked by Paul mcgrath about 8 years ago

Usually, the refs will allow a slight sliding once a diving player has possession. But as soon as a player rolls over it is travelling.

A player is pressured at mid court, the defender hits the ball, it goes off the offensives player and then into the backcourt. The O player runs back and grabs it. The ref calls over and back, claiming the ball went off the O player. Is that right?

Asked by Minnesota Coach over 11 years ago

Since the defender hit the ball, the offensive team no longer has control of the ball, nor did they gain control when it grazed the offensive player. So, no possession right before the ball entered the backcourt, no backcourt violation . Bad call, ref.

After a made basket, can the player throwing in the ball dribble the ball?

Asked by JC almost 12 years ago

A player throwing the ball in on a spot throw in is restricted to a 3 foot wide, and unlimited deep area. At least one foot must be in or on this area. There is no travelling possible on a throw in. Now, to your question, a throw in player is allowed to dribble as long as the dribbling is out of bounds. Hypothetically if the throw in player dribles in bounds and then touches the ball it is a turnover because the throw in player was out of bounds and touched the ball which was put in bounds when the dribble hit the playing floor. If the throw in is after a basket, of course there is no 3 foot wide area.

Team A is inbounding, Another member of Team A pushes Team B and its called a foul...who does ball go to and what happens now

Asked by Coach Hawk over 11 years ago

I think this is the same question you asked 2 questions above. The answer is that unless it is a flagrant (technical) foul, the push is considered a team control foul. No free throws are awarded to team B, but they are awarded the ball at the point nearest the infraction.

how old do you have to be to be a basketball referee?

Asked by Sam LaVelle over 11 years ago

Every state has its own rules. In Illinois you have to be at least 17 years old to be "patched" by the state. You must be patched by the state to work high school games. However, many park districts and youth clubs hire younger officials to work games. Some of them also offer training and mentoring of young teenagers.

A Offensive player1 throws ball for fast break, Offensive Player2 tries to catch it, a Defender runs from behind and creates body contact using his shoulder causing Player2 off course. Is it considered a foul?

Asked by Alan over 8 years ago

Yes, as you describe it the offensive player was knocked off a position he was entitled to.

In the NBA they rarely seem to call players for inbounding the ball after a bucket with a foot inbounds. Sometimes they are just lazy and dont even get fully established out of bounds. Why is that?

Asked by rainman over 11 years ago

This was asked by steve w in his June, 2012 questions. Here is the answer I gave him: First, the rule. Your position on the court is based on where you stood (or touched last). So after a rebound a player establishes himself out of bounds (one foot or two), and then lifts a foot through an imaginary plane along the baseline, he is not inbounds until his foot hits the floor inbounds - no violation for breaking the plane by the player throwing in the ball. Secondly, there is the dominent philosophy of basket officating called, "Advantage Disadvantage" which holds that you should only stop the game if an opposing player caused a change in A/D. So, you pass on uncontested palming in the backcourt for example.