2-Person Mechanics Thought Experiment

[Raymond]

A Lead is needed to officiate the post and the end line.

Trail can adjust positioning to be either Trail or Center oriented based on coverage needs.

Lead needs to rotate when needed. Trail needs to crossover halfway point when needed.

That's all that is needed.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

A Lead is needed to officiate ... the end line.

Bingo. 'Nough said. End of discussion. Turn out the lights on your way out. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. Say goodnight, Gracie. Goodnight, sweetheart, well, it's time to go. Goodnight, sweetheart, well, it's time to go. I hate to leave you, I really must say, so goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight.

Or maybe we can have dedicated linemen, like in tennis, that just watch the boundaries.

Sit right back and enjoy some classic Spaniels from 1953. I listened to them while I was in my mother's womb.

https://youtu.be/YrU8LZHJnak

[Pantherdreams]

While i appreciate the thought and effort that went into trying to create a 2 person systems who's angles and mechanics better overlaps with 3 person while trying to improve court coverage, as an academic exercise is interesting but the practicalities don't line up.

1) You need a lead. Whether 3 person role or 2 person role. You physically need someone entrenched on the baseline with a north south view of the key and what is happening there. Side angles only give 1 side of the story and with the amount on contact that happens in post play, rim finishes and rebounds someone needs different clean look.

2) The coverages you are talking about doing a better job on aren't issues/problems in most youth games. Prior to high school and adults. Most youth players aren't sophisticated enough or the players aren't big enough to create congestion, have significant off ball plays, or cause chaos almost anywhere but on the ball and in the paint. The amount of other stuff you have to officiate other than on ball and at the rim is generally less significant because of the abilities of the players, the lack of movement/screening/athleticism of kids involved and the less subtle techniques and tactics.

3) When transition stuff and off ball stuff becomes a large problem there are generally 2 culprits a) The athletes and game have become so athletic and sophisticated you should have 3 officials b) the officials involved arent up to scratch physically or ability wise but have ended up on a game anyway. In either case its not a mechanics issue. If we made Venn diagram of issues by the time you got to two man games that should be two man games done by competent and capable officials who are having problems because of 2 person mechanics I woudl argue you are down to a pretty small sample size of situations and games.