[tomegun]

The game was played last night and I had a busy basketball day. I will try to keep this post as short as possible.
I played in an over-30 playoff game at lunch. We jumped out on the other team 19-11 and ended up getting beat pretty bad. They have beaten us 3 times this season (we only had one other loss). Yours truly started off the game with 3 treys and my teammates began this “it is my turn to shoot now” crap that was our downfall. I got one good look for the rest of the game. During the second half I got called for an intentional foul for knocking an elbow out of my chest. Was the foul intentional? Yes. But, the other player was putting his elbow in my chest for about 5 steps and the ref didn’t say/do anything. I took myself out of the game for the remainder after this. I was more frustrated with the play of my team than the official so I couldn’t focus anymore. I know both refs and I told the guy after the game that I didn’t knocked the elbow out of my chest intentionally but it was there and I didn’t grow it there. The motion was such that my hand made contact with my chest at the same time it made contact with his elbow. It didn’t matter for the game and that was that.

On to the game I officiated.

I was the U1 on the game, I have worked with the R this year twice and I didn’t know the U2. There are small things about this game but three situations that were relevant.
The first half was good. During the second half a player from Team A was going in for a lay-up off of a semi-break when a player from Team B pulled him down/out of the air by his shoulders. The play is table-side and I’m C table-side. This was an easy call; intentional foul. Coach B (CB) began to complain loudly saying it was a terrible call and the like. Since no question was asked in a calm manner, no response was given. We continue on with the game and Team B is down like 18 points and began a comeback. Player B1 is about 6’3” and 250lbs. He is going to work in the middle. He is playing through some small stuff and scored 3 or 4 baskets in a row. At this point Coach A (CA) sends a smaller/less used player into the game just to guard B1. I’m watching closely to make sure he isn’t sent in as a “goon” especially since B1 has a reputation for being the “dirtiest player in the league” (I had already called a foul on him for pushing someone under the basket). During one play B1 has his arms up and elbows slightly out. He turns, in a basketball motion, to come just short of hitting the opposing player in the face. I’ve seen this kid so I know what he is trying to do. During a stoppage on the other end I tell him to cut it out and he gives me this “yeah, whatever” look. A few trips later he is coming down the court with his arms up and when he gets to the player guarding him he drops his left elbow down and hits the other kid in the face, not hard but intentional. I have another easy call; intentional foul. So I have two intentional fouls on Team B. At this point, my wife told me in the car, CB takes his jacket off and throws it down. He is throwing a small fit but we go on. He does some other stuff and one of my partners is talking to him (up close). There is a time out and the coach walks almost to the free-throw line clapping his hands saying something to me. His players have made it to the bench so they are behind him. After my partner reports the time out we come together and I tell them that at this point I don’t feel like I should T this coach but he is borderline. One of my partners says “we got you” and we break. Before we inbound the ball my other partner is talking to the coach again (up close). I don’t like this. This is the point where any communication between me and a coach who is trying to show my partner up will have some distance between us. Anyway we continue and Team A maintains the lead. With around 2 minutes left, A1 gets a dunk as B1 goes by in the air to contest but not foul. I’m C table-side right in front of CA. A1 hangs on the rim long enough to swing around and look at B1 almost taunting him. Once again I have an easy call; technical foul. CA says to me “you can’t call that, this is a championship game.” I respond by simply saying “coach he did it and it is a technical foul.” He pleads some more (he was using more of a pleading voice than yelling/complaining loudly since he was right beside me) and says something else about me making the call. Now I tell him “coach you should know that I don’t care and I will call anything out here” (that sounds kind of crude when typed but what I was telling him was the so-called magnitude of the game doesn’t make a difference to me). The light goes on and I think he realizes I’ve already called 2 intentional fouls on the other team and my MO since I’ve done his games is I will call what I think is right regardless of the situation. So now he says “you’re right, I’m sorry.” Team A goes on to win by double digits and their fans run on to the court. My partner that has talked to CB gets lost in the crowd somehow and my other partner asks me what happened to him as I’m walking through the door. I turn to look back and CB has come the entire length of the court and is saying something to me. In the locker room my partner didn’t understand why I would have a problem with him talking to the coach. I told him I think the coach was borderline for a T and I think it could look like he was consoling the coach after two intentional fouls to be up close talking to him when he is going off. He said something to the effect of “well I’ve known him for 15 years….” IMO that doesn’t matter to me and it isn’t the point. We went on but I think he was upset. As a person I like this guy and have no problem with him. However, I think we should do whatever is best for crew unity, harmony and comfort. When push comes to shove this is something that I have to do the right way regardless of coaches, players and the relevance of the game. I think we did pretty well but I also think there are some things that could be captured on tape that were missed. For me, I can’t remember a game where I made as many different calls (different violations, fouls, etc.) in a game. It was a blast. Sorry for the long post.