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

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 about 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.

What's the call when a shot is taken, hits the rim, bounces into or lands in the back court and is first touched by someone from the team that made the shot? Free ball or violation?

Asked by lrwindy about 11 years ago

Team control ends when the ball is in flight on a try or tap for a goal. Since there is no team control, there is no backcourt violation. Play on...

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

Asked by Jcush about 10 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.

Ball inbounded under offensive basket - thrown towards the backcourt where an offensive player touches (doesnt control) before going over half court line - is this backcourt violation?

Asked by webstone almost 11 years ago

You need to establish front court possession before you can have a back court violation. Answer is no.

If a player rebounds the ball and comes down with the ball and loses balance so that he touches the ground with the ball but does not dribble - is that considered a dribble so that he cannot dribble after that?

Asked by Coach Hoops almost 11 years ago

If the player comes down with both hands on the ball it is double dribble. If the player has only one hand on top of the ball it is a dribble and he cannot dribble again.

When you dribble and the defender goes for the steal, are you allowed to use the non dribbling hand to block or even swap/push his hand away

Asked by Tamudawson about 10 years ago

You are entitled to your vertical space. If you use your forearm out of your vertical space to seperate the defender it is an offensive player control foul.On the other hand, if your forearm is within your vertical space and the defender pushes your arm away to get closer to you it is a common foul on the defender.

If a player dribbles Andre picks it up with 2 hands and the other player touches the ball( not knocking it out of the others poccession) then can the player with the ball with 2 hands dribble again?

Asked by Chantoan over 10 years ago

No, an offensive player cannot regain the ability to dribble until another player touches the ball WHILE the original player no longer possesses the ball. So if A1 has continuous possession during the time that B1 touches the ball, A1 cannot dribble for the second time. A more likely call is if B1 touches the ball and pushes it in an opposite direction than A1 is holding it, it should be called a held ball (and go to the possession arrow).