Basketball
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...
Postgames play a key role in officials’ growth
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s more states and officials associations transition to three-person mechanics, lead officials need to become more active and recognize when to rotate ball side.
Gone...
Unsporting Behavior In the Eye of the Beholder
It’s often said great basketball officiating requires striking the proper balance between art and science.
That’s due, in part, to the fact that the rulebooks...
Leaving the Court Has Consequences
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ost everyone knows, in the game of basketball, when the ball touches a boundary line or anything outside the boundary line, it is out...
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...
Zone of Verticality Comes With Its Own Set of Challenges
A meeting this past season of the Wisconsin Basketball Officials Association (WBOA) saw a lively discussion break out regarding arm positioning as part of...
Solving the Two-Call Conundrum
Does anybody remember the old days when basketball was a non-contact sport and most fouls were easily identified and called? I can hear you...
Five Offseason Tips for Stress Free Officiating
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lashback. Sitting in front of my computer, I take a peek at my inbox. It’s the middle of August and I’m waiting to see...
Stay on Script With Signals
Like it or not, we officials are on a stage of sorts, playing a role and contributing to the production. By that standard, we...
Crews Need To Handle Double Whistles Correctly
Perhaps one of the more famous double whistles in recent memory happened in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. To set the scene: It’s the final 40...
Stick to the Plan When Covering Last-Second Shots
Although we might not think of it this way, basketball crews have set plays, just like the teams they officiate. If they don’t, they should. The teams rely...
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...
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...
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...
Don’t Sell Your Halftime Short
Basketball officials have been instructed time and again about the importance of pregame discussions as a crew. The 60 minutes prior to tip are a crucial window for an...
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...
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...
Active ‘C’ Creates a Successful Crew
The center official on a three-person crew is the straw that stirs the drink. When “C” is active, things go more smoothly and games are apt to be...
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...
Proper Three-Person Rotations Rely on Science and Art
As more states and officials’ associations transition to three-person mechanics, lead officials need to become more active and recognize when to rotate ball side.
Gone are the days of...
Keys to Cutting Down Correctable Errors
During any game, a mistake by an official or scorer can be made. For officials marked by inattentiveness and indifference, change “can” to “will likely.” For officials working with...
Held Balls a Haven for Off-Ball Harms
How many officials does it take to rule a held ball? No, this isn’t some type of comedic riff on the well-worn “How many (insert insult here) does...
Careful with Explanations
There may never be a game we officiate that is free from controversy, in which every call is met with agreement from two compassionate...
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...
