5 seconds closely guarded

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

Maybe I'm far too legalistic, but last night in a playoff game the home team was winning by 20 in the fourth quarter, probably about 3 1/2 minutes to go, I call a five-second closely guarded count against the visitors who had the ball.

My partner came to me and said Slow the countdown we don't need that, I have no doubt that I started my account a second late and that I got to 6 before I called the five-second closely guarded giving her seven seconds and she wasn't giving up the ball. In a game where the visitors are down by 20 would you not call five seconds closely guarded? Would you not call three seconds in the lane against the visitors?

Even after 17 years, I still think the rules are the rules. And why do the hand gestures of the count if you're not going to call it?

1) I am arriving late to the party.

2) I favor Closely Guarded when three feet of the Ball Handler and while the Ball Handler is Holding the Ball only.

3) When the game is a "blow out" I favor being lenient in favor of the team that is getting its "clock cleaned".

MTD, Sr.

[Randa16]

I was always the ref who said look this team is getting beat by 20 let’s just swallow the whistle, not call anything against the losing team and get out of here. It usually worked fine but that changed last Sunday for me. Doing a High school spring game and white team is stacked, smallest guy is 6’2. Black team looks like a 6th grade team. I had the white team before so figured it was going to be an epic butt kicking and it was. We both held the whistle several times against the black team and foul count at half was 12-4. White HC knew what we were doing and he was not only ok with it but encouraged us to foul his center. No aggressive contact so figured it was good. Second half starts and black is down by 25. White steals a pass and black player grabs jersey and pulls him down so I hit him with a intentional foul. Black team HC loses his mind and can’t believe we would call that. Next possession he is screaming we are missing calls and need to call it right or go home....are you kidding me? White teams HC is shaking his head so partner T’s him up. During it all partner says if he wants to be a dick we will give him a fair game. Game ended and white team won by 55 points. Black teams HC tried to get parting shots on the way out but a parent of all people stepped in and said if you would have kept your mouth shut they were trying to help us not get destroyed. So for now on calling everything I see and if they lose by 100 so be it