Worked my rec league 7th/8th graders and then headed to another place for a big JRHS tourney. These are feeder teams for the HS, talent level is up there.
Between the two gyms, I had a total of 3 BC violations for a player jumping from BC, catching ball in the air from a player who was FC. 3 different games, same play...It was rather odd to have this happen this many times in one day.
In the Tourney, had a team coached by Steve Risley (BLUE), former IU player...I've worked several of his games and he's a good coach and usually doesn't have anything to say to the officials. Their opponent's (WHITE) coach was another local team coached by the Asst. Varsity Coach of the HS that Eric Gordon from IU went to (and also the same school I attended 20 years ago). Both teams are well known and both coaches are good guys...
Did a brief pregame with both coaches introduced myself and my partner...advised them of the timout rules for this tourney (1F, 2-:30 per half, no carryover) asked if they had any questions....all was well...
Game started off like I knew it would...both teams are bringing it at each other and we are letting them play....quite frankly there was just nothing to call as the D was staying within their plane defending the low post shots and the O was having a tough time getting shots to go down on both ends..... We called the obvious stuff.....late in the 1st half during a dead ball, I notice two players jockeying for position, doing the arm push, nothing bad at this point but I'm T and L is putting the ball in, so I blow my whistle to stop him and approach the two with the intent to talk to them and tell them to clean it up...as I'm approaching and saying "HEY..WATCH THE...." I notice WHITE player give a huge retaliation push and has now assumed the stance of Mike Tyson ready to fight, BLUE player just backed up, as he wanted no part of fighting....I immediatley blow the whistle and bang both players with Ts.
Grab my partner and inform him what I have, go to the table and inform them, then the coaches. FLAGRANT T on WHITE, he's gone...Unsporting T on Blue...he'll stay around...
White team coach wants to know if I saw blue player push and why his player is gone...I said "Yes coach, I saw both players pushinging and saw your player taunt the kid, ready to fight...he's going to be done for the day as a result...additionally, I have charged BLUE player with a T as well for his actions."
Partner and I talk at halftime that we should tighten it up a bit and we do...at one point BLUE committed 3rd team foul on a shot...As I'm putting the ball to FT Shooter their coach says to me "Mike, the foul count is 8-2..." with a concerned look on his face. I said, "Coach, what do you want me to do?"....he says, "It's 8-2..." I responded with "Well coach...tell your players to STOP FOULING". He has this really puzzled look and starts laughing...I said smiling "Coach, that will fix the problem right?l". He then says to me..."Are you saying BLUE is not fouling?" I said "Of course not, you are shooting FTs right now and you did say they had 2 team fouls right...so this one makes 3"
Blue went on to win by about 6 and I was told by White coach BLUE shot 30 FTs the 2nd half?...I think we called it a bit tighter in the second half.
