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

Player from Team A outleaps player from Team B at the tipoff. While he is the 1st to the ball, player from Team A tips it to Team B who controls possession. Who gets the ball next jump ball? (NCAA rules)

Asked by Philip about 10 years ago

Ok. First there is no possession on the tip. So player A1 (jumper) tips the ball - no possession. Then, the ball comes to A2 who tips the ball to B1.  

If A2 tipped the ball in a controlled manner, then A2 had possession and the arrow is set to team B.  If A2 did not control the ball when A2 tipped it, then team B got the first possession and the arrow is set to team A.

That seems to be the generic answer to the slamming/spiking the ball issue. So shouldn't it state this in the rule book? Otherwise, I agree, it could be used arbitrarily by some less than idea ref to punish one team over another.

Asked by Daniel over 10 years ago

The rule book does not spell out all the ways of committing a technical foul. I believe that working your way up through ranks sifts out most referees with poor judgement and thin skin, not always but at most levels it is so competitive that the better officials tend to move forward and ref the better games. That is how the system cultivates good judgement - and I'll admit there are officials who come in with a chip on their shoulders and stretch their judgement unfairly against a team or player, but it is the assignment chairman's job to weed out these kind of officials.

if the buzzer sounds at the end of the game and the ref blows her whistle at the same time, can she extend the time on the clock to give a team two foul shots?

Asked by Antonietta about 10 years ago

Even though the buzzer sounds if the shot left the shooters hand before time expired, the ball is live and the shot counts. If the shooter was fouled in the act of shooting at the end of the game, if making any of the free throws could matter to the outcome of the game the lane is cleared and the free throws are attempted.

in the nba if you shoot a long,high arching shot as time runs out and the ball falls way short of the basket(no time on clock) but the ball bounces into the basket-does this count or is it a dead ball when it hits the floor?

Asked by feelingyou about 10 years ago

When a shot is released before time runs out, it becomes dead when it becomes apparent that it will not go directly into the basket. Of course, when it hits the floor it is a dead ball, and therefore does not count if it then bounces into the hoop.

Toward the end of the basketball game there was a foul called. The ref came over and said it was either on #20 or #21, he asked who had the most fouls. #21 did so he called the foul on #21 and it fouled him out. Was this the right procedure?

Asked by Heidi over 10 years ago

As of about 10 years ago, NFHS refs are allowed to consult with the scorer's table if they are unsure of who the foul is on, or who the shooter should be. However, it is sloppy officiating in a 3 man crew when none of the officials know who was involved in a foul. In my opinion, it is inappropriate to levy a foul based on personal foul counts. If the table knows with confidence who committed a foul then they can help. Otherwise, the official must determine who fouled, or else don't blow your whistle.

the other team has 5 team fouls and fouls one of are players after the call a double tech is called 1 on each team do we still keep the ball or does it go to alternate possesion

Asked by murph over 9 years ago

It goes to the possession arrow.

In tonight's Vandy/Wichita NCAA tourney game, a technical foul was called on the Vandy coach for protesting a non-foul call on a shot one of his players just made. Wichita State was awarded 2 ft's, but the ball was then given to Vandy. Why?

Asked by Brian Zdanowski about 10 years ago

NCAA has a list of technicals and penalties. In NFHS rules all technicals are 2 free throws plus ball, at the mid court line. NCAA is point of interruption. It is confusing.