Basketball
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...
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...
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...
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...
A Helping Hand With Flaming Fans
An official I know was having a tough night in one of the rural barns around here. The fans were braying, the coaches were...
Don’t Waste a Chance for Self-Evaluation
Over the years, I’ve spoken to many officials approaching the end of their careers. They speak of being less keyed-up before games, grumpier during...
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...
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...
Prevent Free-Throw Huddles to Eliminate Delays
At best, it’s an unnecessary delay that interrupts the flow of the game.
At worst, it’s an open invitation for gamesmanship that complicates critical moments...
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...
Postgames play a key role in officials’ growth
A
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...
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...
A Look Back at March Madness In A Bubble
J.D. Collins has heard plenty of colorful descriptions of his work during his time as an oncourt college basketball official and more recently in...
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...
5 Minutes with J.D. Collins
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...
Loose Ball, Tight Talk
Arequirement on the list of items that should be discussed during a crew’s pregame meeting is how everyone will handle information related to a...
