Quote:
Originally Posted by ttt
I'm a head coach who attempts to have some knowledge of the NFHS rulebook and have some, but limited knowledge about coverage areas. Two questions from a game yesterday. A referee put an offensive player at the line based on "continuation." The ref told me that it was "absolutly in the rulebook." I didn't think that that rule was in effect for high school. Looking for some clairity because I don't have my rulebook handy. Another question I have is about coverage area. My team was applying full court pressure, had a trap right on the baseline and the ref that was across half court (lead official?) made the call. I understand that a call should be made if it is seen but doesn't that make your partner look bad if he was close to the play? I umpire collegiate level baseball games in the spring and understand what calls should be made by each umpire and how it can hang your partner out to dry just looking to see how those in the basketball world see it.
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1. Once the habitual "shooting motion" has started, the player is considered to be in the act of shooting. Therefore, if a player has picked up his dribble on a lay-up, he/she has begun the act of shooting. I am guessing that would explain the situation you describe. Other similar situations apply as well.
2. On the topic of coverage area, yes we do have primary areas. You did not indicate whether the game was being officiated with two or three officials, but I will venture a guess, here. In the case of a two-person game, a full-court situation presents some very challenging potential scenarios. First of all, we each have two lines to "cover" for the purpose of inbounds/out of bounds situations. Secondly, we are reasonsible for covering up to 4700 square feet (4200 square feet on a 50 feet x 84 feet floor) with 10 players running in somewhat random directions in the case of a fullcourt press. Since we are typically on opposite sides of the floor, it is entirely possible that an official on the OPPOSITE side of the court will have a better angle on a play -- particularly if the ball has been passed rather quickly up the floor -- than the "closer" official. While the trail official in this scenario will have primary coverage on the ball, the off official(s) is/are responsible for the rest of the court and that may include helping out with a backcourt violation or a foul if the primary official has been screened. It sounds like the officiating crew got the call right, in your case.