Staying In Our Primary
 

During my crew's post-game the other night my partner wasn't happy that I'd called a foul in his PCA.

What happened was I was the lead during the play, and a player for Team A had the ball on the opposite post and was looking to go up for a shot. There was no match-up on the post on my side of the lane, and I didn't want to rotate to the other side as I thought it was too late and could lead to problems should a rebound by the defense turn into a fast-break going the other way.

Anyway, I see the player attempt a shot on the opposite post and get fouled. I wait a tick, my partner has nothing, so I blow my whistle and call a foul.

Now... it wasn't in my PCA. However, I'm positive the player was fouled. I did what I thought was right and gave my partner the first shot at the foul, before calling it myself.

During the post-game my partner was a little upset, and went on to say that one assignor told him "I'd rather you miss a call than call something out of your primary." Yes, my partner said that was verbatim from the assignor.

I have a big problem with that mentality. My job, and the job of officials, is to make the game fair. And by passing on a call that we know is right, just because it's a little outside our own PCA, seems ridiculous. It sounds like the assignor doesn't want to make the other official look bad, meaning he's putting our egos ahead of the game.

Does that sound right to you?

He's upset cause you called a foul on a post player going to the hoop as the L?

Sure, it's technically in his primary, but if we expect the C to get every one of those, it's going to be a long night. If the shooter's fouled on the arm and the play opens to the L, why wouldn't the lead get it?

If you can't get over, pinch the paint and get the best open look you can.

More often than not, we miss the call out of our PCA. If you think your partner didn't see the contact you called, go get it. If you're sure he saw it and just didn't make the call, there's a good chance he saw it differently and considered it incidental.

I always tell my partner(s) I'd rather get the call right versus bruising my ego...Now I do have a problem with a partner calling a garden variety foul way outside his primary and right in front of me, but as you describe it sounds like it was a reasonable one to grab (especially considering you waited a count) based on the position of the play on the court (not way outside your primary on the opposite block).

I wonder if that assignor would have the same mentality if there was a punch/shove/FF in your partner's primary that he didn't call but the other members of the crew saw and didn't grab and that led to a fight??

I guess that's a call that can be passed on as it's outside your primary based on that assignor's logic...

This isn't so much about whether me calling it was right. I 100% believe I did the right thing. This is about an assignor basically saying that the official's ego is more important.

And for the record, he's only talking about "normal" fouls... not something worthy of a technical, intentional, or flagrant.

My post + this one.

If it's one where you're guessing, then obviously you're trusting the primary official and his judgment. But if you work to get an open look and see a foul, go get it.

One thing I had reinforced in a camp last summer was that it's better to not rotate and pinch the paint and get an open look than to rotate late and have everything pass before your eyes. If you can't get over, you still have to officiate that play where a post player on the opposite block takes it to the hoop. I know others may disagree, but I think it's putting an awful lot on the C to put that play 100% on him just because of some invisible lines on a court.

But if you're not closed down and in position (and you should be) then you're reaching way to far and should lay off it.

Agreed. Another way to look at it is if C could see it, then you leave it alone. If C couldn't see it, then you get it.

And, yes, some assigners have the opinion expressed. It is, imo, an over-reaction to some things that happened in some high-profile games.

We are hired as a crew to referee the game. Coaches and administrators couldn't care less about primaries if a call is missed. Primaries are a mechanism designed to ensure the right official is looking at the play most of the time so that we get most plays right most of the time. Some times, plays happen that are not well covered by primaries and good officials will cover each other's back to get the play right.

As others have said, there are right times to go out of your primary and there are wrong times. Are you judging a play differently than your partner when they could see what you saw or are do you see something they couldn't have seen. If the former, leave it alone. If the latter, go get it.

I've never worked 3-man, and will likely never do so. But I do like to learn, so here's my question: how do you know what a partner saw or could see? That is, how do you know when to pass and when not?

If it's out of my PCA, I'll avoid anything that could be deemed marginal. I'll only go get fouls that are, from my perspective OBVIOUS and NECESSARY. Like others have said, don't guess. Of course, sometimes the ability of your partner may require adjusting what you will or won't call as well.

Primaries are guidelines, not impenetrable boundaries. I think they should be drawn with more overlap.

Ask your assignor or send a clip. If he says lay off of fouls out of your area, then so be it (or don't take those games).

There's a reason why there's two (or three) officials, and until I can see 360 degrees around a match-up, I'm always thanking my partner for getting a foul i couldn't see.

Bryan, knowing the same assignors as you're likely talking about, i'd be EXTREMELY surprised if they said it anywhere close to the hard and fast rule implied by your partner.

How do you know in two-person?

Same answer.

I'm trying to think of a good official that thinks you should miss a call before calling out of your primary. I can't.