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

With the new rule in high school basketball with free throws, it is a violation to break the plane of the freethrow line before the ball makes contact, if you also foul the shooter at the same time do you enforce both the lane violation and the foul

Asked by Bob over 9 years ago

I believe the new rule (added in 2014-2015) allows players lined up along the free throw lane to break the plane as soon as the ball is released (like the NBA). If a defender violates it is a delayed violation (live ball) and so you would enforce the subsequent foul. However, if a lane violation is committed by a teammate of the shooter, the ball is dead and any subsequent unintentional fouls are not enforced.

Where does it say that a referee can through someone out of an high school basketball game? I need it in black and white.

Asked by Dana about 9 years ago

Your question makes me think you have been tossed out of a gym and you object. Here it is in black and white.

In the NFHS rulebook, Rule 2 Officials and Their Duties, Section 8 Officials Additional Duties, Article 1, "The officials shall penalize unsporting conduct by any player, coach, substitute, team attendant or follower.In the same section under Article 1, "NOTE: The home management or game committee is responsible for spectator behavior, insofar as it can be reasonably be expected to control the spectators.The officials may rule fouls on either team if its spectators act in such a way as to interfere with the proper conduct of the game … When team supporters become unruly or interfere with the orderly progress of the game, the officials shall stop the game until the home management resolves the situation and the game can proceed in in an orderly manner."

In practice the way this works is an official notifies home management that a fan's behavior is unacceptable and the officials ask that home management eject the fan. Home management always complies because to refuse would force the official to penalize the home team starting with technical fouls potentially leading to a forfeited game. I only asked home management to throw out a handful of people in 20 years of officiating and they never refused my requests.

I've seen players pass to a teammate who establishes himself out of bounds on the baseline. Can this occur ONLY after made baskets, ONLY under your own basket, or is this even allowed when inbounding under your opponents basket?

Asked by Philip almost 9 years ago

This play is only valid after a made basket or after a time out after a made basket. 

It is not allowed on a spot throw in because the spot is defined by a 3 foot wide area. On a spot throw in, as soon as the original player hands or throws it to an out of bounds player it is a violation.

a player tried to block my shot, too far away so he lowered into my face. I told him it was cheap and a tech foul. He said not if I was shooting and he "tried" to block my shot. I said didnt matter, face guarding is face guarding shooting or not.

Asked by Darcy about 9 years ago

Rule 10, section 3, which delineates player technical fouls, Article 6d, "A player shall not commit an unsporting foul. This includes, but is not limited to purposely obstructing an opponent's vision by waiving or placing hands near his/her eyes."

What's the rules for a coach to talk to a ref in the middle of the game and the ref is talking back

Asked by Sheryll Woolsey about 9 years ago

A ref cannot listen to a coach and do his job while a game is being played. So a ref should not respond during live balls. On the first dead ball i would approach the coach, listen to what the issue is, resolve it if legitimate, and explain that I will not listen or be interupted during live balls. If he insists on communicating while i have in game responsibilities i will consider it unsportsmanlike.

high school Player A picks up his dribble and looks to pass. ball gets slapped out of his hands by defender and the ball pops in the air. Player A grabs the ball out of the air. is player A allowed to dribble?

Asked by midd44 over 9 years ago

Yes, player A lost control of the ball caused by the defender. There is no provision which states the ball must hit the floor after being batted away before recovering. So, yes A can dribble again.

If a intentional foul is called on team A and then a technical foul is called on team B. Who shoots free throws and who gets the ball?

Asked by catcher62 about 9 years ago

The free throws offset. Go to the possession arrow for a half court throw in.