[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

100%? I have to disagree with you there. Our JV officials work the 3 man system. While they do use 2 man for middle school games, most 1st year officials will also get JV games their first year. We also use 3 man in 15U and older AAU games. We have a lot of inexperienced officials working with veterans during these games.

The first camp I went to was a 3 man camp. Of course, it was easier then as there was no rotation. But everybody switched on every foul. Don't get me wrong, learning the 2 man system is important. But in some cases, it's important to learn 3 man just as quickly. Different areas do things differently.

With all due respect to the State of North Carolina, the vast majority of H.S. jr. varsity and freshmen, jr. H.S., as well has most of the CYO and YMCA youth leagues, AAU and YBOA tournaments, and adult recreational leagues in the U.S.A, use two-man officiating crews. And in many states, including Ohio, the vast majority of varsity regular season games still use two-man crews. Even the vast majority of games around the world played under FIBA rules use two-man officiating crews.

I am a true believer in three-man officiating crews, but until the schools have the money to afford three-man crews, two-man crews for all levels of play, will be the norm and three-person crews will be the exception. I once asked Dick Schindler, when he was still the NFHS Rules Editor, why the NFHS did not follow the NCAA's lead and eliminate the two-man crew reference in the rules book, and he told me that the high schools would never go for it because of the financial burden that would be imposed on the schools to hire a third official.

And in some respects, I find that learning two-man mechanics serves as a good foundation for learning three-man mechanics. I know that sounds weird (just consider the source), but is my opinion about two-man mechanics.