From Referee and the National ASSociation of Sports OfficialS
Table of
Contents INTRODUCTION............................................................ 7 FOREWARD................................................................. 9 THE GURUS................................................................ 10 WHY DO WE MISS IT?................................................. 13 Misapplying the Rules...................................................................................................... 14 Not Focusing on the Defender..................................................................................... 20 Not Seeing the Play Coming.......................................................................................... 21 Not Getting the Best Angle........................................................................................... 26 Not Being An Active Member of the Justice League of America ��������������������������31 Formula for Getting the Call Right.............................................................................. 33 BLOCK...................................................................... 35 Blocking Foul Rules.......................................................................................................... 36 Guarding............................................................................................................................. 37 Screens............................................................................................................................... 50 Secondary Defender....................................................................................................... 53 CHARGE..............................................................................55 Charging Foul Rules......................................................................................................... 56 Airborne Shooter............................................................................................................ 59 Making the Call................................................................................................................. 68 Related Situations............................................................................................................ 70 NO-CALLS................................................................. 75 Incidental Contact............................................................................................................ 76 Flopping.............................................................................................................................. 83
MECHANICS �������������������������������������������������������� 89 Three-Person Crew �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������90 Basic Frontcourt Coverage �����������������������������������������������������������������������������92 Transition After a Turnover �����������������������������������������������������������������������������94 Pass/Crash in Lane ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������96 Lead Helps ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������97 Handling Double Whistles �������������������������������������������������������������������������������97 Two-Person Crew ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������100 Basic Frontcourt Coverage ���������������������������������������������������������������������������101 Splitting Court on Drives ������������������������������������������������������������������������������102 Pass/Crash in Lane ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������104 Pass/Crash in Transition ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������106 Handling Double Whistles �����������������������������������������������������������������������������107 Patient Whistle is Critical ������������������������������������������������������������������������������109 BLOCK/CHARGE CHECKLIST ��������������������������������� 110 FINAL THOUGHTS ����������������������������������������������� 111
6 | Tough Calls: BLOCK/CHARGE
MEChanICs THREE-pERSOn CREW
BASIC FRONTCOURT COVERAGE TRANSITION AFTER A TURNOVER PASS/CRASH IN LANE LEAD HELPS HANDLING DOUBLE WHISTLES
TWO-pERSOn CREW
BASIC FRONTCOURT COVERAGE SPLITTING COURT ON DRIVES PASS/CRASH IN LANE PASS/CRASH IN TRANSITION HANDLING DOUBLE WHISTLES
pATIEnT WHISTLE IS CRITICAL
MECHANICS
utting yourself in the proper position on the court will make all the difference in getting a block/charge call right. The responsibilities for officials vary in twoperson and three-person mechanics, so it’s important to know where you need to be on the court to make the right call when the situation develops. An offensive player who tries to squeeze through a space between two defenders or between a defender and the sideline when there is less than three feet of space available often commits a foul. The situation frequently occurs when a player with the ball is trapped in a corner of the frontcourt by a defensive double team. The offensive player cannot use his or her shoulder to displace a defender and gain space to dribble past him or her or get off a pass. He or she clearly gains an advantage by escaping the trap. As always, the official must be in position to see the whole play. If too close, he or she will not be able to see both the shoulders and the feet. He or she must also be able to see through the spaces between the players. That may require that officials take up some unusual positions. If the trap is out near the midcourt line on the side opposite the trail in a two official game, the trail will need to go near the center line of the court and several feet into the backcourt to referee the play. In a three-person crew, the center can move toward the division line to referee the play from the other side. Again, traps are rarely one-and-done events, so the game history can alert the officials to anticipate the situation.
P
Three-Person Crew With three officials on the court, the chances of being in position to make a block/charge call are far greater than with two officials because movements by the officials don’t leave open gaps in coverage.
90 | Tough Calls: BLOCK/CHARGE
MECHANICS
It is important to remember that all three officials must work hard at understanding and obtaining proper angles in calling a block/charge. You must be able to see completely through the play, which means your vision must be unobstructed by the players directly involved in the play and others near the play. Basketball is a game of nearly constant motion. An official’s angle and distance adjustments are necessary as play is in motion. A step or two in the right direction may open up a whole new viewing experience, free from obstruction; a step in the wrong direction will screen you from the critical game action. Movement is needed in three-person officiating, just like in two-person crews. Unlike in two-person officiating, moving far onto the court is generally a three-person no-no. With only two officials, the trail must constantly be on the court to cover plays on the other side of the court. Not so with three officials. Almost all of the trail and center’s movement will be away or toward the endlines, not toward the center of the court. The lead also moves along the endline to improve angles. There’s usually at least four and sometimes six or eight players in the lane area battling for position. Lead movement is critical to watching low-post action, but it can be paramount to seeing a secondary defender in a block/charge situation. “If you are out of position, straightlined, you’re not going to be able to see this,” says John Lozano. “The less information you have, the less you have to go with to make a quick decision. Very likely you’re making the wrong decision because you don’t have enough information to make a decision based on your knowledge. We try to demonstrate if you’re the lead official, if you’re straightlined, you’re not going to see that block/charge. If you’re not refereeing the defense, same kind of thing.
Tough Calls: BLOCK/CHARGE | 91
MECHAnICS
“We have to make adjustments to release the responsibility if you’re the trail official, to the lead official,” said Lozano. “You have to release a little bit sooner, especially if the lead official is in position. I think communication and where you pick up the ball, you have to work with a little bit more and establish those guidelines, where you’re going to do that and who’s going to pick up the ball.” In nearly all cases, the lead official triggers movements (rotations) by the other two officials. Well-timed, distinct movements by the lead make for smooth rotations and great court coverage. Determining each component of a play that is developing from start to finish will help you react in time to make the right call.
THREE-pERSOn BASIC fROnTCOuRT COvERAGE When the ball is in the frontcourt, each official is responsible for observing an area of the floor. Those areas of coverage don’t change regardless if you’re on the ball or off ball, and a block/charge could happen in any of those areas. In a halfcourt setting, the trail’s responsibilities include the area to the far free-throw lane line extended, above the free-throw line, to the division line and the sideline nearest the trail. The center’s responsibilities include the area from the near free-throw lane line extended to the division line, the sideline nearest the center and half of the lane itself. The lead’s responsibilities include half of the lane, freethrow line extended to the three-point arc, down to the endline on the lead’s side of the court. During frontcourt action in three-person mechanics, the center official often is responsible for dribble drives to the
92 | Tough Calls: BLOCK/CHARGE
MECHAnICS
goal that initiate that coverage area. That’s where a block/ charge often will occur. Pregaming that situation is a must. Some feel it is best for the center who has a drive from start to finish to make the call on a block/charge. Others feel the lead should take it, even if he or she is opposite the freethrow lane line extended where the play initiated. Others believe that the center has watched that play from the start, understanding who had better position, whether or not the defender obtained legal guarding position, watched the initiation of the drive to see if the dribbler did anything illegal, etc. If the lead is doing his or her job properly, there’s no way he or she can
L
HOME
C
T
SCORER & TIMER
All three officials must work hard at understanding and obtaining proper angles in calling a block/charge correctly.
VISITOR
Tough Calls: BLOCK/CHARGE | 93