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
No this move is not legal because even though the offensive player has the right to the vertical space once he has attained a legal position on the floor, he cannot initiate contact by slapping the opponents arm.
The defensive player can penetrate that vertical space but cannot make contact in that space. So, a defender can reach into the vertical space of the offensive player to try to steal the ball as long as there is no contact. But if the defender reaches into the vertical space and initiates contact it is a defensive foul.
But what if the offensive player initiates contact inside his legally obtained space? If for example, the offensive player jumps vertically and crashes into the defender - foul on the defender.
But what if the offensive player slaps the defender's hand? The offensive player caused the contact, and most likely it occurred outside the offensiive player's vertical space, so it is a foul on the offensive player for initiating contact.
I know that many coaches teach the dribbler to put up a bent arm as a barrier to the defender but when the dribbler initiates contact by pushing or slapping the defender it is a player control foul on the dribbler. Most often, the dribbler is NOT entitled to the space where the defender is reaching in. In my opinion, this is not called enough.
By the way, there is no defintion in the rule book of "reaching in". If reaching in was illegal, you could never steal the ball from a dribbler.
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Assuming that you have an excellent understanding of the rules and good judgement as to when to apply them, then if a coach has a disagreement and you feel it needs to be addressed:1) approach the coach. "Coach you disagree with that call. Tell me, what did you see?"2) after the coach tells you, you say "Coach, I saw that the play happened a different way. Here is what I saw … . but if the play happened the way you saw it, then I missed it."3) don't be afraid to admit that you booted a call occasionally. "Coach, in replaying the action in mind, you might be right and I may have called the wrong thing." But don't become a perpetual apologist. 4) if the coach perpetually is riding you and is never satisfied with your explanations, then you need to tell him/her that you have heard enough. their complaints are getting in the way of you doing your job. Some officials tell you to hold an open hand up after you have warned him - they call this officiating to the tape because if you end up throwing a coach out of a game, the assigner can look at the tape and corroborate your review which included a verbal and hand warning.5) have thick skin. the tough guys who are too sensitive about valid criticism never advance very far in officiating. In 20 years of high school officiating I have thrown out of games only 4 or 5 coaches.
As for parents, my best advice is to ignore them. If they shout inappropriate things (threats or derogatory remarks) have home management eject them. No good will come from trying to educate a biased fan who has little grasp of the rulebook. However, I have answered questions after a game from parents who approach respectfully.
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Unless it has been changed most recently the rule book states, "No logo, marking, lettering, etc. is permitted on the backboard, backboard padding, or basket."
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see answer above.
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Most instructors will tell you that indicating a spot or a runner throw in to both the offense and defense is good, solid preventative officiating so that if there is a thrown violation neither team can complain about a misunderstanding.
To my knowledge this mechanic is NOT in the official's manual.
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There is no provision for a violation or foul for talking or shouting. There is only one way it might be construed a foul and that is behavior that is considered unsportsmanlike. But to me, shouting "ball, ball, ball" would not rise to the level of unsportsmanlike.
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Was it the Michigan State player? If it is the play I was looking at it was a close call, but I probably would have called traveling.
So here is the play: A player catches the ball with both feet in the air. Going backwards the left foot comes down first (it will be the pivot). Then the right foot comes down beyond the 3 point arc. He lifts the left (pivot) foot. At this point he is ok if he alights or stays on the right foot and then passes or shoots. As soon as his left foot touches the floor or he hops on his right it is traveling.
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