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

Ball heading out of bounds towards team A coach who is standing in the coaching box. The coach makes a natural reflex to catch the ball before it hits him. Player B simultaneously was trying to make a play on the ball. Is this a T on coach?

Asked by Jake over 10 years ago

No T.  The coach is where he should be, and there he is considered out of bounds -  so when the ball touches him it is OB.  However, it borders on unsportsmanlike conduct if the coach purposely grabs it to prevent the other team from making a play.  In any case I personally would not call a T.

If a free throw misses the rim it's a dead ball, correct? Since the rule states that a player can't step into the lane until the ball touches the rim, if it didn't hit the rim is a lane violation a moot point?

Asked by Bob about 11 years ago

The ball is dead when it is apparent to the referee that it will not hit the rim or enter the ring. I wouldn't think that any reasonable official would whistle a lane violation, ruling that it occurred before the free throw was dead. I have never seen it, and if one of my partners called that it would seem like he is trying to pick a fight or punish one team. The only exception would be if the other team steps into the lane (well before the shot is launched) to purposely disconcert the free thrower and he fires an air ball, then I suppose a violation could be called.

Where do I go to find referees to hire in the Chicago,IL area?

Asked by Help! about 9 years ago

A good resource is the Illinois High School Association's website. It publishes online a list of officials' associations. Every official must belong to an association and each association maintains lists of members. In addition, most associations have an assignment chairman whose function is to help member officials get bookings. www.ihsa.org

You can also call local park districts and ask who books their officials. There are a few guys who run businesses which hire referees for games, and often the park districts hire them to supply officials.

Follow on to last question What’s the best way to get refs attention? Yell it out while it is happening? Wait for stoppage of play? – call ref over to ask for discussion? Can ref just ignore me? Looking for respectful interaction protocol w/ ref

Asked by Randy S about 11 years ago

Most respectful way is to ask the ref if he can discuss a play.  If you are the kind of coach who is shilling for every call you will be ignored by a skilled official for your own good.  You would do well to expend your enegy in understanding how tight or loose a ref is calling a game, and coaching accordingly, rather than ratcheting up your complaints.  During a game, the ref holds all the cards. After the game if you feel a ref is grossly misinterpreting the rules talk to the assignment chairman.

Why doesn't basketball use instant replay?

Asked by marcus about 11 years ago

Replay IS being used by various levels in basketball. In National Federation of High School Rules, states are allowed the option to use replay in the state tournament for specific things such as whether a buzzer shot was launched before time expired. In college, they use replay to ascertain the severity of fouls - whether a tech foul is flagarant or class 1, etc. NBA seems to use it more. The benefit is to make sure you get the call correct, the obvious downside is that it takes time and breaks momentum.

Technical foul or not? Team B down by 3. Team B scores with 1.2 seconds left and calls a timeout. Team A and B come onto the court after the timeout. Team A has 6 players on the floor. Ref has yet to signal play to resume nor hands the ball to Team A for inbounding. Team B's coach yells to Ref that Team A has 6 players on the court. Team A calls timeout with ball never being put into play. Ref calls a technical foul on Team A for having 6 players on the court.

Asked by DaveFromPA about 11 years ago

Based on your scenario this should not have been called a "T". Remember it is a technical foul to have more than 5 players on the floor DURING A LIVE BALL. In your description the ball never changed status to live because on a throw in the ball is only considered live when "it is put at the disposal of the team who will execute the throw in". Your ref made an error.

My son and another boy went for a rebound and both got their hands on the ball equally, but the bigger, stronger boy twisted, dipped and pulled the ball and him into his gut, with the result my son was "over the top." Was that a correct call?

Asked by Rod about 11 years ago

This is a tough judgement call. If, both boys simultaneously held the ball or put force on the ball in opposite directions (as in a stuffed blocked shot) then it should be called a held ball (jump ball going to the possession arrow). If the ref rules that there was not dual possession then you have to call a foul and/or subject a player to really getting hurt. This does not happen too often at the boy's varsity level (quick and strength), but it happens. Opinion: good officials have a quick whistle for held balls to avoid the weaker player always getting a foul.