Pointing direction at tip
 

Just wondering, do you point direction of each team at the tip? I've seen it different ways. Any reason for doing so or not doing so?

We do it here in Virginia, just before the toss (and again if there is an overtime period). It just reinforces to the players (and us) which way each team is going. However, the officials manual does not say the we have to do it.

Also, has anyone been instructed to not do so, by an assignor or fellow official?

I did away with it at the HS level. If they're facing the right direction, it kind of insults the players' intelligence and makes the R look corny.

Tell me the last time you saw this done in a college game on TV.


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If I am working a HS game, I do not care what they do at the college level for everything. Not even a consideration to what I will do.

BTW, I do point in each direction.

Peace

Don't care what is done at college level. Not interested in doing college ball. If college only refs here what to answer what they do, I'd like to hear that answer but just because it is or isn't on TV doesn't make it right or wrong. I abhor multiple tweets of whistle for obvious calls but again, just bc a ref on tv does it, doesn't make it right

I will continue to happily emulate the actions of those who have risen to a level higher than I. With exceptions, of course (mechanics differences, decidedly bad actors, etc.), but in general this practice has served me well not only in basketball officiating but in other facets of life, too. Not sure why some on this forum are always so quick to discount the leaders of the profession.


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

Ive never done it. It doesnt hurt anything to do it but all i care about is that there lined up facing the proper direction. Personally, I might do it for 4th graders and under. Anybody else that needs to be told what direction there going, after the jumpers are lined up properly, has other things to worry about.

That's coaching to me. If kids get ball and go wrong way after being lined up properly that's on the coach.

Nothing wrong with that stance, but keep in mind that a lot of college officials do a lot of thing that are not advocated by the people they work for or the NCAA. That was obvious by the very first video bulletin this year and a play we discussed on this site. Now if the conversation was only what college officials do (and I am one of them) then that might make since. But keep in mind many things we do at the college level would not be allowed at the HS level. Not discounting, just realize that everything is not as simple as you are making it to be.

Peace

Put me down as someone that doesn't point

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.

Well, Here's Another Nice Mess You've Gotten Me Into (Oliver Hardy) ...
 

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

Remember Wrong Way Corrigan (1938) ???
 

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.)

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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