[Toren]

Let's start this tale of intrigue by saying I was working my first varsity boys game of the season and it's 2 man. We're seeing more 2 man in this area for budgetary reasons. I'm beginning my third year as a high school referee and my second as a varsity referee.

4th quarter, home team sinks the second of a 2 shot free throw, and they are now behind 2 points with 11.1 seconds on the clock. I'm the old lead, new trail. There is a timeout called. As the timeout ends, I ask the home team coach, help me with your strategy, are you going to foul? He gives me a blank look, so I assume no, but I really wish he would have answered so I can have a little insight on his expectation.

The visiting team (team B) successfully inbounds the ball to the short near corner. They immediately get trapped by team A. Initially I have a clear view of Player B1 and the defender A14. I have a B look at the other A player (A12) who is trapping.

Player B1 holding the ball, spins away and I have a terrible look at him now, only see the backside and no view of the ball. I quickly move for a better angle and I see him jump in the air. He tries to pass the ball and A12 prevents the pass by getting a hand on the ball, so I blow and run in. The players crash to the floor as I'm running in with a held ball signal.

My partner who was on the opposite sideline about three point line extended, closes in and I see he has a foul signal. My first thought is "oh crap". The players on the floor stand up with no incident and me and my partner confer. He tells me A14 clearly held him...so we go with that.

I had been working all summer long on crashing in on jump balls while blowing air into my whistle but holding my held ball signal until I can make sure that the players are okay and after taking a quick glance at my partner(s) to see if they have a foul signal.

I think the fact that the team A coach saw me with a jump ball, got him emotionally high because his team had the possession arrow and then he crashed hard when my partner had a foul. Had I held my signal just a tad, I would have seen my partner and then we could have just went with foul. I think the coach still would have been pissed but maybe not as badly.

These are the lessons I love about basketball. Stories like this happening every night across the country.