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Official's personal philosophies are influenced by experiences that have happened to them. When our state first started doing 3-person, I thought that straying out of our primary and secondary areas to help a partner a little bit now and then was acceptable. I don't believe that anymore.
About halfway thought that first season of 3-person, I was working a closely-contested game with two veteran partners. The partner working the trail position at the time is top notch and has worked a 4A state championship. My L is solid, but not a guy I'd want to work a huge game with. So I'm C with a couple of players in my area but they aren't being competitive with each other at all. So I stray and watch the drive out of the T's area instead of getting myself into rebounding position as I should. A jumble of players get in between the T and A1 so he has no view of the shot. A shot is taken right in front of the L, just outside the key on the side opposite me. I see a fair amount of contact on the arm by B1 from my C position. The L has no whistle. I hesitate and then come in to take the call. No problems and we shoot 2.
Later in the game, I realize that my partner (who was the L in the sitch I just mentioned) is getting questioned on almost every call by the coaches. Even the routine ones. Why? Because I took away his credibility by taking a call right in front of him. Even if my call was correct, I just told everyone in the gym (and especially the coaches) that I did not trust my partner.
What would be better for the game..... allowing that contact to go uncalled or making the "right call" and taking away my partner's credibility like I did?
I should NOT have made that call and I apologized to him for it after the game.
Z
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