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

Same scenario as before (backcourt violation) Player B does not touch the ball until his feet are established in the front court. Is this legal or is it still a back court violation? Thank you for your response.

Asked by Coaching Youth about 11 years ago

Once both of the player's feet land in the front court and then he receives the ball there is no violation.

Hello,

This question is for youth basketball u15 girls. Can you shout ball ball ball as the defender in front of your check when the offensive player has the ball. The ref last night called it a foul but I don't think that's a fiba rule.

Asked by dleong@uvic.ca almost 12 years ago

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.

5th grade boys basketball. Running clock 20 minutes first half, 9 minutes left and realized teams going to wrong goal. Should we have kept going or made them correct?

Asked by Don Pritchett over 11 years ago

Stop the game. Turn the teams around. All points fouls time outs which occurred stand.

When entering a ball from the side at half court can the player I bounding move side to side.

Asked by Jcush almost 11 years ago

On a spot throw in (as opposed to a throw in after a basket), the in-bounder is required have at least one foot on or above (if jumping) a 3 foot wide area parallel to the boundry line. This same in-bounder can move away from the court until he hits the bleachers, wall or any other obstruction in a perpendicular area to the boundry line as long as he stays within the 3 foot wide area.

Also note that during a throw-in, the in-bounder cannot be called for traveling - that is he can move within the 3 foot area without dribbling.

How much time a person need to go from a beginner level in basketball to the NCAA D-1 or NCAA D-2?
Specifically if this is a man who's 1.9 meters tall, weights 76 kilograms, but at the start isn't an athlete whatsoever.

Asked by Serge almost 11 years ago

It is impossible to say or even generalize/ For example the University of Illinois, a D1 Big Ten school had scholarship player Nnanna Egwu who was born in Nigeria and didn't play basketball until 8th grade. He was considered a "project" when he was offers a scholarship. He had a good, not stellar collage career and he is trying to play pro ball but has of yet not hooked on with a team in the NBA. By the way, in college Nnanna played at 6 foot 9. The problem with being 6'2" and 165 lbs is not many schools will take on a "project" who hasn't played much ball. A lot depends on how much time a player has to develop and where the development takes place. Seems to me that most well recruited middle schoolers or even high schoolers play for very competitive AAU teams. If you want to be the best, you have to compete with the best.

A dribbling player loose control of the ball and hits the referee. He catches the ball with two hands and continues to dribble. Is this a traveling violation?

Asked by Max over 11 years ago

The referee is considered part of the floor, so if the player catches the ball with 2 hands after dribbling and bouncing off a referee, it is double dribble.  

If this was not the rule then the following could happen:

if a player was trapped with an official nearby, he could bounce the ball off the official and get a new dribble. This is not the intention, so the referee is part of the floor, and a player DOES NOT get a new dribble after bouncing off the ref.

To clarify, "Why couldn't he pick up the ball"?, because he had already stopped the dribble, and was looking to pass. As he went to pass the ball, he changed his mind but the ball already left his hand, & hr moved as if dancing to block def. playe

Asked by ed over 11 years ago

I was suggesting that if he dropped the ball unintentionally (called a muff) he could pick it up. If he tried to pass it and then changed his mind and dropped he he could not pick it up but he could block someone out if he blocked out legally, To block out legally, a player has to legally obtain a position before the opponent alights or moves toward the spot he occupies to block out. In other words if I get to a spot before you leave your feet or step into that spot then I can block you from that spot by occupying it.