Basketball

Head Fakes = Head Games

As the game of basketball continues to evolve into a free-flowing contest, we are seeing an increase in one-on-one matchups. Teams are spreading the...

Use Both Scorers to your Advantage

Editor’s note: This article specifically mentions high school examples. NCAA M/W require two scorers, unless one is acceptable to the referee (2-1.1.b). I have been...

Travel vs. Fumble — Which is It?

There are times when a player who has control of the ball unintentionally lets it drop or slip from his or her hands, a...

Keep Wandering Coaches Contained

Wandering coaches who drift beyond the coaching box often need reminding of the location of the box. Simple body language or hand gestures help to guide coaches to...

Listen to Everything You Hear

When was the last time you heard someone say, “Consider the source”? That saying has been around for as long as one can remember, but what is the...

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...

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...

Multiple Whistle Blasts Effective in Certain Situations

If you watch a basketball game closely on TV, you are bound to hear multiple whistle blasts several times. Multiple tweets are not disallowed by rule, but they...

Don’t Match Fouls on The Other End

It is understood that the goal of matching is to pair likenesses. Millions of dollars are being spent every day to find and make that perfect match. The...

Four Eyes Off The Ball

From years of being around high-level Division I men’s college basketball officials, Ray Natili learned to train his eyes and “quit looking at the basketball.” It’s a mantra...

No Substitute for Awareness

There is more to know than just foul or violation. Commonly astute officials might have heard once to have an awareness to what type...

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...

Second Nature

The first thing most of us do in the morning is look at our alarm clock, watch or phone. When we look at our...

Let’s Meet Up

There are times in a game when officials should get together as a crew. There are times when officials shouldn’t get together. During warmups is...

How to Keep Your Head From Spinning

The athletic spin move is often one that players, coaches and fans love to see during a game and also one that makes officials...

The Shot

As an exhausted Tom Clark settled back into the aisle seat of his Delta Airlines flight the morning of March 29, 1992, a slight...

5 Minutes with Karen Preato

Hometown: Greensboro, N.C. Experience: Started officiating at the college level in 1998 and entered the D-I ranks in 2003. Currently works in the Atlantic 10, Atlantic...

Hometown: Hartford City, Ind. Experience: NCAA national coordinator of men’s basketball officiating; former coordinator of officials for the Mid-American Conference and Summit League; former consultant...