[DownTownTonyBrown]

Had mediocre (play was sloppy) game last night with a partner that I hadn't worked with in at least two years. Partner has 27 years of experience versus my 12.

He was the Ref and did NO PREGAME WITH ME. I forced the issue and discussed a few things about the idosyncracies of the court - double lines along the court edges black line, 1 inch gap and then 24" wide color stripe; several lines at the mid court division lines; strap above the basket. We also discussed a little about last minute shoots and alignment with the clock. That was it. Our coverage was not bad but it never felt comfortable. We called a little bit different style of game and perhaps that was what made it feel uncomfortable.

One of those differences was held ball on an airborne shooter. I had learned, and thought I understood the rule, that if the shooter goes up and the defender gets a hand on the ball such that the shooter comes back down with both of them still holding the ball - held ball. No problem. I also learned that if the ball came free before the shooter returned to the floor - NO HELD BALL. My partner called it twice the other way - the shooter was at his peak height, the ball comes out so no one has a hand on it, it falls to the floor and he calls held ball. He made the same call two different times.

No one says anything about his call. I made the unwise decision of asking him about it during the third quarter. He was adamant that two player's hands on the ball was always a jump - independent of the undue roughness issue, independent of airborne status of the shooter. I remember saying something along the lines of "the reason you call a held ball is so the shooter doesn't return to the floor having traveled. But if the ball comes free, you've got nothing but good defense and play continues." He didn't like that and wouldn't let it alone. He called me aside twice during the remainder of the game (not during held ball situations - just to continue the "discussion") and wanted to straighten me out. At the conclusion of the game, he really wanted to straighten me out to the point of arguing in front of the home administator.

I finally stated louder than my normal voice but still quieter than his " I got it. I've heard you - again and again. Would you listen to me?" His response was "Don't tell me to shut up!" and "You're not gonna tell me how to call a game until you out rank me. Until you rate higher than I do, you're not gonna tell me how to call anything."

A simple questioning attitude had turned into my evening's nightmare.

We didn't say a word to each other for at least 5 minutes (Now, I've got about an hour long ride home with him).

We got into the car and I appologised profusely. " I did not intend this to be a one-upmanship deal. I wasn't trying to tell you that you were wrong. I just learned the rule differently than you were calling it. The rule book doesn't even seem to support my position." The ride home was okay but no more comfortable than the game.

Okay, enough of my frightmare. What the heck is the rule and how should it be called?

Rule 4-25-2 says "An opponent places his/her hand(s) on the ball and prevents an airborne player from throwing the ball or releasing it on a try."

CB play 4.25.2 says "A1 jumps to try for a goal... B1... puts his/her hand on the ball and keep(s) A1 from releasing it. A1 .... is unable to control the ball and it drops to the floor. Ruling: A held ball results immediately ... when airborne A1 is prevented from releasing the ball to pass or try for goal.

I thought I understood this quite well. Maybe it was just because I was lambasted by my partner but these two don't even seem to support my understanding.

Believe me I'm not going to go back and report to my partner. Just let me know how this play should be called. I don't have anymore games scheduled with him.

Releasing is a good word. It supports my position. However the casebook says "releasing... to pass or try."

I screwed up by even attempting to discuss it with him but did I screw up the rule?