[Rich]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

I turned back three games to take my family on vacation, so my first game is tonight. Boys varsity nonconference, the first 3-person HS game I've worked in the state of Wisconsin (I work about a dozen boys varsity games a year in IL and they are all 3-person, but 3-person is just trickling into my area of WI for varsity games). Then because of a scheduling quirk and my company's annual big convention, I don't have another game until December 9th.

68-59, the home team led wire-to-wire, but it was a close game until the end.

They really moved up and down the court last night. All 3 of us mentioned after the game that this was a game that screamed out for a 3-person crew. And even though I hadn't worked anything but a day of games at a clinic since March, I thought we all called a darned good game.

Just one strange thing: I made one call through the lane as a lead on a drive coming from C's primary, but I didn't have much of a choice. Driver flattened the defender and I waited as long as I could, but I had to pick up the charge. I saw the whole thing as the A player drove right towards the lane, so I saw him as I was picking up the post players in my primary.

It's nice to get the first one in and know I still remember how to do this -- after working 100 baseball games and 30 football games, I have to look up how many timeouts the teams get before the first game

I'm glad to see there's at least one state behind WI, though. In 2007-08, all playoff games will be worked 3-person (state tourney this year and sectionals+state next year). Most schools are OK with us working 3 if we'll accept 2 game checks. We're doing this as much as possible, because I think there's a selling job we need to do to the coaches and schools as they think that (1) 3 are unnecessary or (2) we'll call lots more fouls with 3, when actually, we don't call any more, but we don't have to guess, either.

18 minute halves? Don't give WI any ideas.