Make the call
Make the call!
This year there is once again an emphasis on cleaning the game up. Keeping the lane clear helps to do that.
Hints for calling 3 seconds. Warn the player at least once in the game before calling it on him/her. Find the ball before calling the violation. Don't make the call when a shot is in the air. Make sure that the violator is still going to be in the lane when you make your call. There is nothing worse than calling 3 seconds and when people look, there is nobody in the lane (unless your whistle is simultaneous with the swish of the ball going through the net from a long 3 pointer). If the player is trying to clear, give them the opportunity.
Lastly, remember that when a player legally gets the ball in the lane, the count is suspended until the player does something with the ball. That is, they can fake and dribble and eventually take a shot without the violation being called. However, if after taking excessive time in the paint, they then pass the ball out to a teammate, the call should be made immediately.
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