[BillyMac]

ADVANCED OFFICIATING TIPS

Coaches And Captains
Players properly equipped. Players wear uniforms properly. Practice good sportsmanship.

Lead’s Primary Responsibilities
Primary coverage area. Post play. Illegal screens at elbows.

Trail’s Primary Responsibilities
Primary coverage area “works the arc”. Weak side rebound coverage. Drives starting in primary. Last second shot, basket interference, goaltending. Bring subs in.

Stay In Your Primary, It Must Be Obvious To Come Out Of Your Primary
If something is there that needs to be called, call it. Seldom should have four eyes on the ball. We’re not going to have too many double whistles if we are doing this right. Keep in mind your boundary line responsibilities and last second shot responsibilities. Put the ball in play where it goes out of bounds, or where the foul is.

Out-Of-Bounds Help
For out-of-bounds help, let's get it right. Come together for a change if needed. If I have no idea and I look to you for help, just give a directional signal. No need to come to me. Just point. If you don't know, give me a jump ball signal. If I signal but I get it wrong then blow the whistle and come to me. Tell me what you saw and let me decide if I’m going to change it.

Two-Point / Three-Point Shot
If one official incorrectly signals the number of points, the other official will simply blow the whistle immediately, discuss the play with our partner, come to a decision, signal the correct number of points to the table, and resume the game. We will only correct if we are 100% sure.

Last Second Shot
Let’s let each other know when there’s less than a minute in each period. 99% of the time, the Trail will be responsible for the call. Let’s both have an opinion in case Trail’s not sure. How will we handle a full-court pass when the Trail is stuck in the backcourt?

Goaltending And Basket Interference
99% of the time, the Trail will be responsible for the call. Lead can help out on a quick shot in transition, when Trail hasn’t made it into the frontcourt yet. Let’s remember that it’s never basket interference or goaltending to slap the backboard. Coaches and fans always want it, but we can’t award the points.

Backcourt
The four elements for having this violation are: there must be team control; the ball must have achieved frontcourt status; the team in team control must be the last to touch the ball in frontcourt; that same team must be the first to touch after the ball has been in the backcourt.

Press Coverage
Help each other. New Lead will wait at midcourt.

Throw Ins
On throwins, count five players each team, check the table, check the clock, good eye contact before putting ball in play. A hand up in the air by the off official means not ready.

Timeout Mechanics
When the ball is dead, we must be alive. Team calling timeout must have player dribbling or holding the ball. Both officials must know the game situation when play resumes following a timeout (team, direction, spot or run baseline, shooter, number of shots). One official at spot of throwin or free throw line with ball facing direction in which it will be put into play. Other official at division line, quarter for 30 second and three quarters for 60 second.

Game Situation Awareness
We should quickly check the clock after every whistle to make sure the clock stops properly. We should check the clock every time it should start to make sure it does so. Let’s try to be aware of the foul count during the game. Communicate at sixth and ninth fouls. We don’t want to be surprised when it’s time to shoot the bonus. If we know that the next foul will result in bonus free throws, then we’ll be more likely to remember our shooter. Off official should help identifying free throw shooter.

Ball-Handler / Hand-Checking
Places both hands on a ball-handler, it is a foul. Continuously places a hand on the ball-handler, it is a foul. Continuously jabs a hand or forearm on a ball-handler, it is a foul. Remember RSBQ. If the dribbler’s Rhythm, Speed, Balance, or Quickness are affected, we should have a hand-checking foul.

Post Play
Let’s not allow a defender to use a leg or knee to move a player off the block. Let’s make sure the offensive player isn’t holding off the defender, or holding him with his off-hand. As Lead, let’s find the post matchup as soon as possible so that we get the first foul. Remember RIDD. Don’t let players Redirect, Impede, Displace, or Dislodge.

Screens
We must work hard off the ball. In the first half especially, let’s clean up the screening action. The screening action will be right in front of the defensive coach in the first half, so if the coach sees an illegal screen, we should too.

Pass And Crash
Let’s have the Lead official follow the pass, stay with the ball. The Trail will be responsible for the crash.

Double Whistles
Let’s both hold our preliminary signal and not give a block or player control signal. Make eye contact with each other. Give the call to whoever has the primary coverage, most often the lead official, unless you definitely have something different that happened first, in which case we’ll talk about it.

Foul Mechanics
Preliminary signal given at spot of foul for all common fouls. Calling official must designate throwin spot or number of shots. Noncalling official, get the shooter. If the ball enters the basket, inform partner that ball went in.

Technical Fouls
If I T a coach, get me away from the coach. The situation is heated and I don’t want to whack the coach back-to-back. Let’s move away from the benches. Non calling official should inform the coach that the coaching box privilege has been lost. Let’s get together and make sure we administer the penalty or penalties correctly and in the correct order and at the correct basket. If one official issues a warning to somebody, player, or coach, make sure the other official knows. If I’ve already warned the coach, the coach shouldn’t get a free shot at you.

Consistency
Let’s see if we can call the same game. Be consistent with each other. Let’s try to remember what we’ve called earlier in the game, and what we haven’t called. Be consistent with what has already happened in the game.

Last Two Minutes
Near the end of the game, be aware of coaches calling time-outs and be sure to inform them after they have used all their time outs. Let’s not put the whistles away in the last two minutes: That wouldn’t be consistent with the way we’ve been calling the game. We’re not calling anything in the last two minutes if we haven’t already called it earlier in the game, unless it’s so blatant that it can’t be ignored. If the game dictates it, let the players win or lose the game at the line. We don’t want to be the ones who decide the game by ignoring obvious fouls just to get the game over. If the winning team is just holding the ball and is willing to take the free throws after strategic fouls, then let’s call the foul immediately, so the ballhandler doesn’t get hit harder to draw a whistle. Let’s make sure there is a play on the ball by the defense. If there’s no play on the ball, if the defense grabs the jersey, or pushes from behind, or bear hugs the offensive player, we should consider an intentional foul. These are not basketball plays and should be penalized as intentional.

Effort And Attitude
Every game is the most important game being played anywhere tonight for these kids, fans, and coaches. Let’s make sure we officiate the game keeping that in mind, through effort, and attitude.