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

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

651 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

I was fouled and the ref under the basket called 2 shots. Shot and missed the first one, caught it and threw it back to the ref. The side ref said it was a one and one after I gave it to the ref and they ended up calling it a jump ball.

Asked by Harlin Wolfe over 11 years ago

Since awarding the 2nd free throw was in error, and even if it was correctible, play resumes from the point discovered, and all points scored and fouls remain intact.  So the ref should have dropped the ball and play on.  There is no provision to use a jump ball to fix a misapplication of a rule.

As a practical matter, awarding a jump is less awkward than the chaos of handing it correctly.

Fouls are for doing something wrong, not for doing something "right".

Asked by daveb over 11 years ago

That is true, but if a referee called everything technically the game would be unplayable and unwatchable.  For example, the rule used to be that on a throw in, if the player didn't take the shortest path onto the court after throwing in the ball in, it was a technical foul.  I never called it that way, and never worked with anyone who did.  Finally, NFHS changed this action to a violation and now it gets called.  Likewise, any carrying the ball, by rule,  is an illegal dribble.  But if a player is bringing the ball up from the backcourt unguarded and is turning the ball over, I am not going to call that until he is guarded.  (Officiating principle = Advantage Disadvantage).

I get that you are annoyed that a team can get back in a game by fouling a team who cannot shoot free throws, but while I think intentional fouls need to be clarified, I believe most people do not take your literal interpretation of the game and don't mind "going for the ball" common fouls as a legitimate strategy.  Again, I say a shot clock would remove much of the reason to purposely foul.

On a full court inbounds pass that goes the length of the court but is never touched, but a foul is called when the ball sails over the players head. Where is the ball thrown in from after the foul?

Asked by Cliff over 10 years ago

The ball should be spotted at a point near the foul. It only comes back to the original thrown if it is not touched or there are no fouls called before the ball is out of bounds.

If an offensive player goes to dribble the ball and it hits the referee and goes out of bounds which team gets the out of bounds possesion?

Asked by CS over 10 years ago

The ball is awarded opposite the team which touched the ball last before the ball went out of bounds. The referee is considered part of the floor where he/she is standing.

Team A dribbles the ball off the ref's foot and then it goes out of bounds, Team B gets a throw in.

If yo shoot from behind the board but yet inside the court, ball bounces on the top of the board and goes into the court / is that out of bounds or not?

Asked by a.stjepanovic@gmail.com over 10 years ago

If the ball goes over the top of a rectangular backboard in either direction it is out of bounds.

If the ball goes over the top of a fan backboard it stays in play.

Okay my next question is what warrants a ref to eject a fan? Like what actions must a fan comment to warrant an eject? And does a warning have to be given first?

Asked by Ronald Poke over 10 years ago

There are no specifications in the rule book as to when a referee asks home management to eject a fan. It is very subjective, and it does not have to have a warning. I drew the line at personal attacks - to another fan, the other team, my partners, or to me. I never minded if fans boo'd my calls, but as soon as it got personal or vial, that's when I had someone ejected.

Let's stop beating around the bush here. Tell me what you did to get tossed out of your son or daughter's game.

When I go set a pick the defensive player runs into me before I come to a stop because he's chasing my team mate that I'm setting the pick for and he says its a moving pick. So I'm saying I haven't come to a complete stop before the contact.

Asked by Dean almost 11 years ago

A legal screen can only be set when the screener is stationary, except when both players are moving in the same direction.  So, because you have not stopped (become stationary) it seems like it is an illegal screen UNLESS you are both moving in the same direction, he is behind you, and as you slow down he runs into you.