Ball-side Mechanics

Raymond

I work HS ball for an NBA ref. He teaches ball-side mechanics for 2-man. It's also what the NBA employs when they are down an official.

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Rich

ilyazhito wrote
I have seen ball-side mechanics mentioned in both 2 and 3-person mechanics manuals (NFHS pp. 17, 44-45, IAABO pp. 25, 27 for 2-person ball-side mechanics, NFHS pp. 77-78, 80, IAABO 133-137 for 3-person ball-side mechanics and rotations), but officials tend to place more emphasis on 3-person ball-side mechanics (perhaps because rotations are also involved when Lead moves ball-side in a 3-person game) than on 2-person ball-side mechanics. Officials are often not taught about 2-person ball-side mechanics (those that use it, including myself, learned how to go ball-side from reading the mechanics manual and applying ABC principles).

Seeing this, and reading various online resources on basketball officiating (some of which encourage officials to go ball-side in both 3 and 2-person games) made me wonder what the purpose of ball-side mechanics are. Is the information on 2-person ball-side mechanics just dead words printed in a manual that will not see the light of day, or is there some higher reason for information on ball-side movement to be included in both the 2 and 3-person sections of high school mechanics manuals?

The most common situation where I have seen (or used) ball-side mechanics in 2-person games is on frontcourt throw-ins where the ball and most of the matchups are on Trail's side of the court. I have also gone ball-side if there is pressure in the frontcourt on Trail's side, and there are multiple matchups on Trail's side, or if a drive/pass to the post is imminent. In the 3-person games I have worked so far, I haven't had to rotate frequently, because the ball would either move quickly from one side to the other, or there would be a quick shot shortly after the ball moved away from the Lead's side, making a rotation unnecessary. In your experience, what is the most common situations for moving ball-side (and some reliable cues for ball-side movement/rotation other than ball position)?

I haven't worked a 2-person game in years, but when I did I rotated over frequently. It threw off some partners, didn't throw off others. But there's no reason to put up an imaginary wall at the lane line and let the trail officiate post play on his side using an inferior position.

If you ever watch NCAA officials work down a man...or NBA clips from the old days....the L worked wherever he needed. The difference is when the ball goes the other way, you have to switch sides once in a while.

Freddy

Though not popular in our state, we teach the 2-person ball-side mechanic to our lower level and new officials in our little corner across the lake from where Rut lives. It gives the rotated Lead a better look at the slot between low post players on the other side of the lane from their new position on ball-side. Otherwise, they'd be straightlined on verticality plays across the other side of the lane.
Also, when they transition to 3-person games we don't have to teach them how and when to rotate--they already know.
Besides the explanation in the NFHS Officials Manual, our state's online mechanics manual illustrates this mechanic according to the attached slide.
One caveat we issue: if the Lead rotates across only to put two eyes on the competitive matchup that Trail already is covering, don't waste the effort. If the Lead rotates across, he better be getting a better look at the competitive matchup(s) that the Trail can't handle. Otherwise don't do it.
2-Person Ball Side Mechanic: MHSAA Online Officials Manual

Camron Rust

We teach ball-side for 2-person. If there is a post up on the other side, you have a lot better chance of getting it right if you're over there vs being stacked. Ultimately, you want to be in the best spot to cover the most likely play....and often, that is the post.

If you look across, go across! (unless you're just ball watching :/ )

Freddy

Camron Rust wrote
We teach ball-side for 2-person. If there is a post up on the other side, you have a lot better chance of getting it right if you're over there vs being stacked. Ultimately, you want to be in the best spot to cover the most likely play....and often, that is the post.

If you look across, go across! (unless you're just ball watching :/) )

If this comment had a "Like" button I would click on it.

bob jenkins

ilyazhito wrote
The most common situation where I have seen (or used) ball-side mechanics in 2-person games is on frontcourt throw-ins where the ball and most of the matchups are on Trail's side of the court.

Use that, whether it's a throw-in or not.

It's the same general principal of when to move across as in 3-person (although you might move "back" sooner that you would in 3-person).

BillyMac

bob jenkins wrote
... although you might move "back" sooner that you would in 3-person.

I once forgot to get back. After a turnover I started up the court as the new trail and after several steps spotted my partner on the same side of the court as me, and at the same time he, as the new lead, turned to look over his shoulder and spotted me. It happened several years ago but I can still remember the look on his face.

ilyazhito

Thank y'all for the great advice and info. I'll look to go over early and often (when appropriate) in both my future 2-person and 3-person games. I had always suspected that 2-person should be 3-person without the Trail, and recently started working 2-person games with that mindset, and MTD confirmed that.

Kelvin green

Going strong side will put you in better position to referee plays. I learned it along time ago and should be used more,

BillyMac

In this thread, a few members have stated that, while allowed by mechanics, many officials don't take advantage of two person ball side mechanics.

I was going to point out that even fewer take advantage of IAABO mechanics that state that the trail can initiate a frontcourt rotation in a two person game:

When pressure is applied in frontcourt, near farther sideline in trial's PCA, trail may rotate beyond the basketline toward farther sideline to provide maximum coverage. As a result of trail rotating, lead may rotate across the basketline, changing lead's PCA, and line responsibility.

But I decided to double check the wording of the mechanic. Good thing that I did because it's gone. It last appeared in the 2016-17 mechanics manual, and then disappeared in the 2017-18 mechanics manual.

Do any IAABO members remember this change being announced?

ilyazhito

Maybe the bit about Trail initiating a rotation was based on the fact that a Center official with on-ball pressure between the 3-point arc and the division line can initiate a rotation by moving above the play, becoming Trail and having the Lead move across the lane. In this case, the Trail would be performing the role of the absent C official, and Lead would take over Trail's job.

I'm also surprised that many veteran officials, and even some evaluators do not know about ball-side mechanics. However, I'll still look to make ball-side strong side, whether in a 2- or 3-person crew, with partners who know, or don't know. If my partner chews me out for going ball-side, I'd sit there and think to myself that he doesn't know what he's talking about (like the JV veteran in another thread relating communication with one's partner to wearing the same color of shoelaces 😉).

Nevadaref

Obviously, 2-man mechanics are much older than those for 3-man. Also, the game has changed significantly. 1989 is when HS adopted the 3pt shot. The frequency of such attempts has been on the rise ever since. The old style of pounding the ball into big guys in the post isn’t as popular now.

What does all of that mean? The days of 2-man at the HS level are dwindling and the need for the L to come strongside to observe post activity is also dropping drastically.

When I started officiating 20 years ago, the post players were still dominant and coming strongside was the norm. It was done almost exclusively to watch the post matchup. Now my area doesn’t even teach this anymore. The L is likely better off just staying on his side. There are far more long range jumpshots and long rebounds than true post matchups. Couple that with 3-man being more prevalent and this mechanic is almost extinct.

ilyazhito

I see that the game has changed, and thus many officials have not needed to go ballside as often in 2-person crews. However, that has not stopped the same officials for coming across the lane in 3-person crews for rotations. Rotations may not be frequent, but because levels with older players still feature post play, they probably still happen because some post play remains?

Raymond

ilyazhito wrote
I see that the game has changed, and thus many officials have not needed to go ballside as often in 2-person crews. However, that has not stopped the same officials for coming across the lane in 3-person crews for rotations. Rotations may not be frequent, but because levels with older players still feature post play, they probably still happen because some post play remains?

Get where you need to get to referee plays.

Whether or not people are doing it across the country is not going to help you in your career.

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Stat-Man

(From Nevadaref)

1989 is when HS adopted the 3pt shot.

Are you sure it wasn't the 1987-88 season? I was a high school freshman that year and that was the first one with the three-point line both on our court and in use during the season.

Rich

Stat-Man wrote
Are you sure it wasn't the 1987-88 season? I was a high school freshman that year and that was the first one with the three-point line both on our court and in use during the season.

1987-1988 was my first season officiating HS hoops. It was also the first year of the 3 point line.

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ilyazhito

Was the introduction of the 3-point line the "beginning of the end" for 2-person ball-side mechanics? This seems to be what Nevadaref was implying, because 3-point shots would be set up by quicker transitions and/or skip passes. With skip passes, the Lead would not necessarily move ball-side, since the ball would not have settled following the skip pass. However, how are 3-point shots connected to the need for (and usage of) 3-person crews?

JRutledge

Rich wrote
1987-1988 was my first season officiating HS hoops. It was also the first year of the 3 point line.

I am not trying to be funny, but this rule came in when I was a freshman. I remember us shooting with it my freshman season. Wasn't that 86-87? Wasn't that the same year the NCAA had the rule as well? Or was this possibly a state adopted rule first?

Peace

BillyMac

Rich wrote
1987-1988 was my first season officiating HS hoops. It was also the first year of the 3 point line.

NFHS Handbook: 1987 Adopted three point field goal.

1986-87 or 1987-88?

Rich

JRutledge wrote
I am not trying to be funny, but this rule came in when I was a freshman. I remember us shooting with it my freshman season. Wasn't that 86-87? Wasn't that the same year the NCAA had the rule as well? Or was this possibly a state adopted rule first?

Peace

I'm sure some states tested it first. Nationally, I am pretty certain it's 87-88.

My graduating class in 1987 had a boy player who scored over 2200 points and he never had the 3. Most of his shots were from 3 distance.

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