Pointing direction at tip

[umpjim]

Not a basketball official. Would this be the equivalent of a baseball umpire saying ball four, take your base, and pointing to 1B?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by umpjim

Not a basketball official. Would this be the equivalent of a baseball umpire saying ball four, take your base, and pointing to 1B?

Not really, because 1B is always the same place for both teams regardless of who is at bat. Now, if they reversed the base order each inning for whatever reason, it would be similar.

[BillyMac]

Several years ago, the officials in a University of Connecticut mens game sent the players in the wrong direction during the jump ball to start overtime. It turned out to be a real mess.

Refs Botched Last Night's UConn-Marquette Overtime, Had Teams Shoot At Wrong Baskets, May Have Cost UConn The Game

[BillyMac]

In my high school games, when I'm administering the jump ball to start the game, I point to the right side bench, say "Blue"; point to the jumper standing to my right, say "Blue"; and point emphatically to the left in the direction Blue's basket and say, emphatically, "Blue".

Then, I point to the left side bench, say "White"; point to the jumper standing to my left, say "White"; and point emphatically to the right in the direction White's basket and say, emphatically, "White".

Then I sound my whistle, drop the whistle from my mouth, toss the ball, and we're on our way.

It takes an extra five seconds, but I'm never, ever, starting the game going in the wrong direction, unless the players screw up, and I can't control that.

(Of course, this procedure is slightly modified to start an overtime period.)

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Several years ago, the officials in a University of Connecticut mens game sent the players in the wrong direction during the jump ball to start overtime. It turned out to be a real mess.



Refs Botched Last Night's UConn-Marquette Overtime, Had Teams Shoot At Wrong Baskets, May Have Cost UConn The Game

That was a Hess mess. I personally learned from that. I still don't point, but at the beginning of each game or extra period (especially the latter), I look at the centers and consciously ask myself, "Are they facing their basket?" Works for me. More than a few times I've caught teams lining up the wrong way for OT and have corrected them.

The Hess mess was super-botched because instead of just fixing the direction when the error was discovered, they wiped a basket or something like that which impacted the score. Totally kicked the rule.


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[JRutledge]

To me this is on the level of what you and how you signal on a FT or if you blow the whistle or not on a throw in. Do what works for you and move on.

Peace

[SC Official]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

To me this is on the level of what you and how you signal on a FT or if you blow the whistle or not on a throw in. Do what works for you and move on.

Peace

The pointing issue is not addressed in the NFHS manual. On the other hand, the manual specifically says not to whistle before a throw-in except after a timeout, intermission, or unusual delay.

And yes, I know that not every state uses NFHS mechanics.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SC Official

... the manual specifically says not to whistle before a throw-in except after a timeout, intermission, or unusual delay.

Connecticut officials were observed by IAABO interpreters during last season's State tournament finals. They were criticized for not sounding their whistles before administering free throws after timeouts.

Few, if any, officials here in my little corner of Connecticut do this (I can't speak for the rest of Connecticut), even though, by the book, we're supposed to do it. We do it for throwins after a timeout, intermission, or unusual delay, but not for free throws. Not sounding whistles before administering free throws after timeouts is just our local custom, handed down from our ancestors, from generation to generation, as basketball mechanics were discussed around the campfires of the past.

What the story regarding this mechanic for other Forum members?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SC Official

The pointing issue is not addressed in the NFHS manual. On the other hand, the manual specifically says not to whistle before a throw-in except after a timeout, intermission, or unusual delay.

And yes, I know that not every state uses NFHS mechanics.

They actually told us here to blow our whistle more. So yes there are little differences. And we have not been giving a NFHS Mechanics book in over 10 years. It is not a big deal in these minor situations.

Peace

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by umpjim

Not a basketball official. Would this be the equivalent of a baseball umpire saying ball four, take your base, and pointing to 1B?

I believe the reason for strike signals and such given by umpires was to relay information about the call to those that can't hear them. It's not necessarily for the benefit of the players/batters.

Therefore, the point to first base is simply a way to let those that can't hear the ump say "ball four, take your base" to know it's a walk.

However, I'm not a historian on that, I just heard it somewhere.

[SNIPERBBB]

Only time I ever pointed directions before the tip was for rec-league. Never did it for any level of HS/MS ball.