Basketball
A Guide to Enforcing the Three-Second Violation
If there is one rule many officials are loath to enforce, it seems to be the three-second violation. For them, ruling a three-second violation carries the...
4 Marginal Call Landmines
There you are, just cruising along in a basketball game. Everything is going smoothly, and then all of a sudden — bang! All hell breaks loose. What happened?...
Start Your Game on the Right Track
Starting the game on the right track helps everyone get off to a smooth start. Starting on a bad note can set the tone...
Travel vs. Fumble — Which is It?
There are times when a player who has control of the ball unintentionally drops it from his or her hands — a fumble —...
Understand the Differences With Atypical Fouls
You just called a technical, intentional or flagrant foul. These are atypical plays in your game, and you may be unsure just how to administer the ensuing action.
Depending...
Pivot Foot Recognition Is Key to Calling Traveling Correctly
When James Naismith invented basketball in the late 19th century, he was looking for a healthy indoor sport to tough out the Northeastern winters. He wanted something that avoided physical...
Roger Ayers: Trials By Fire
With flames raging beyond a door he emotionally prepared to enter with his partner, Roger Ayers tightened his hands around the fire hose that was about to be activated...
Stay Home in Primary
Supervisors want officials to master the fundamentals, creating good habits and developing a consistency to their game — characteristics shared among the elite in...
Leaving the Court Has Consequences
M
ost everyone knows, in the game of basketball, when the ball touches a boundary line or anything outside the boundary line, it is out...
The Foundation of a Two-Person Crew
Interested in working a fast paced game where things are happening quickly, requiring you to stay completely focused? Then let’s partner together as a two-person crew for a...
Understand Elevator Screens
O ne of the great things about basketball is that although there are many constants to the way the game is played, there are...
The Importance Of Halftime Discussions
Imagine that the buzzer to end the first half has just sounded. The game is going to be a real barn burner. The teams are tied...
Have Patience Considering Continuous Motion
“Two shots,” or “Going up!” Terms that are not used often enough. What many hear more often is, “No, on the floor!”
Ask yourself what...
Team Control Is A Moving Target
When the basketball is loose, and opponents are fighting to gain control, officials are taxed to determine team control. The difficulty often comes from the unexpected — abnormalities...
What Coaches and Referees Actually Agree On
In any game, coaches and referees usually agree on several things:
The time of the game
The location of the game
The teams playing...
Flopping for Fouls has Repercussions
The NBA continues to have a real problem with “flopping.” League officials recently levied some fines and penalties for “faking being fouled,” and the rampant problem...
Ups and Downs of Jump Balls
Jump balls set the tone for the rest of the game. It’s the first action directly related to the game, and that first impression...
Keep Focus Sharp at the Buzzer
Most of us are well aware that bad judgment or lack of focus in the last minute of a game can destroy the other...
Strong Signals Can Defuse
Reporting fouls to the table is a time to project strength and believability. Your signal should lend credibility that you stand by your call...
Michael Stephens: His “Rhode” Through Providence
When you talk to people who know Michael Stephens well, they’ll tell you he learned at the feet of the masters — from big-time Division I college basketball officials...
Prep for Bang-Bang Plays
Crashes should not catch basketball officials by surprise. That’s a mantra from Jon Levinson, NCAA women’s basketball secretary-rules editor, and assigner for the Patriot...
Officiating Loose-Ball Action
There are a few rulings you can make that can affect possession. Rulings such as traveling, three seconds, loose ball fouls and illegal dribble are...
Do You Take The Easy Way Out?
The officiating culture can be brutal. An easy way out of a tough situation might seem like a good idea sometimes. After all, certain officials...
No Autosave On Out-of-Bounds
One of the great things about being a basketball official is having to make quick and instantaneous decisions on many different types of plays that are happening at...
