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

Under what circumstances can an official award a team 4 free throws for a technical foul?

Asked by Brandon Jackson almost 10 years ago

In NFHS rules each technical is 2 free throws and the ball. If the official awarded 4 free throws then I assume 2 technicals were called.

O1 is standing in his lane and is about to get a three second count when his teammate takes a shot that never touches the rim or backboard. O1 catches the ball and then dribbles in the lane before passing. Is this a three second violation?

Asked by Alfredo over 10 years ago

In NFHS rules, the three second restriction is lifted when a legitimate try for the basket goes up. Note that it does not say "when the ball hits the ring". So the first part of your question's answer is no, there is no three second violation because once a try goes up there is no team possession anymore. Secondly, in NFHS rules any player can retrieve an air ball shot as long as it was deemed a legitimate try. Once retrieved, team and player possession are reestablished, and he gets a new 3 second count if he is still in the lane.

I saw something tonight I have only seen twice in my career. A shooter shoots the ball and air balls it but he then catches it. Is that a violation? Or as long as he is shooting and not passing the ball is it a legal play.

Asked by Scott almost 10 years ago

In NFHS rules, a shooter can retrieve an airball shot before any other player touches the ball as long as the shot was a legitimate try.

Hi Rndballref, your insights into reffing have been very helpful! On a fast break, opposition player yells out to distract the ball carrier making a basket. I am unsure of how to call this, but it is frustrating to see in junior b'ball. Thoughts?

Asked by Aussie Ref over 10 years ago

There is no specific prohibition specifying the volume or content of on court expression except the provisions against unsportsmanlike conduct. For some (not me), excessively yelling "ball, ball" by a defender is unsportsmanlike.  

Of course if the vocalization is derogatory or vulgar it would be a technical. You might as a preventative measure talk to the coach and suggest that a player yelling like this is getting close to unsportsmanlike behavior and he should tone it down.

If a game start at 9:45AM. Team B do not have 5 players show up at 9:45AM. At what point you will consider team B lose?

Asked by Lawrence over 11 years ago

I never had to call a game a forfeit.  If a team was late, I tried to work with the athletic director to understand why the visitors are late, and what a reasonable start time might be.  The rule book calls for a technical foul toul to be called if the coach has not submitted the roster and designated the starters no later than 10 minutes before start time. Again, I recommend that no official invokes this rule.  Once a team was stuck in Chicago traffic and my partner told the coach when they arrived 45 minutes late that the game would start with a T.  Horrible mistake.

So I am coaching as a volunteer children (8-10) we came to a critical point in the game and I called "TIME TIME TIME" -- The ball was then turned over and the ref turned to me, with me saying nothing, and he said"you have to say TIME OUT" Is this so?

Asked by konopisos@yahoo.com over 10 years ago

The NFHS rule book lists one of the officials' duties is "granting time-outs". It does not specify that the words "time-out" are used. For example coaches can get a time out by signaling his hand in a "T". So if I heard a coach yelling time, time, time, I would grant that time a time-out.

can you catch your own air ball if it is a shot attempt?

Asked by NGUYEN LE about 10 years ago

Yes in NFHS rules a shooter can retrieve his own airball as long as it was deemed a legitimate shot.