2021 NFHS Questionnaire

[BillyMac]

To all Forum members:

Can you recite all the jump ball rules without peeking at the rulebook? Based on original positions of players, jumpers, nonjumpers, on the circle, off the circle, who can move, limits of movement, crossing lines, before the toss, during the toss, after the toss, after the tip, add to that the limitations of the jumpers; and process, interpret, and enforce, all these rules within the fraction of a second that it takes for a jump ball?

Be honest.

If so, you're a better basketball official than I am (with apologies to Rudyard Kipling).

Alright Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. I see you raising your hand. You can put your hand down now.

Please put your hand down Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. I see you.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

If so, you're a better basketball official than I am.

Well, probably also for a lot of other reasons.

[Kansas Ref]

The only change that I advocate is to Stop appealing/deferring to the arrow to determine possession when the a try for goal gets stuck in the ring support and the ball is put out of play; just give the ball to the other team.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Kansas Ref

The only change that I advocate is to Stop appealing/deferring to the arrow to determine possession when the a try for goal gets stuck in the ring support and the ball is put out of play; just give the ball to the other team.

Happens on a throwin violation when this happens.

Who's the "other" team? No team control if it's a try. What if it's not a try, but a deflected pass? Touched last?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

Having a very tall center, my son's 8th grade team runs a play on jump balls with a player cutting to get to an open space for a long tip. The player does not line up on the circle, but stays at 5-10' off the circle. They've had a lot of success on this. In a recent game, however, a referee called a violation, ruling that he was not allowed to move until the ball was tipped. That's wrong, isn't it? I'm not too worried about a one-off mis-call, but if we're teaching a play that is properly a violation, we should change it.

Back when I was coaching middle school basketball and we had a very tall player, I would put all four of my nonjumpers on the circle, instructing the player in front and to the right to my jumper to back off the circle at the very beginning of the toss and run toward our basket. The jumper would tap the ball forward and slightly to the right with some force and we would get a wide open right hand layup and go up two to zero.

After having a few officials calling this a violation, I always quietly and politely told both officials before every game that we were going to do this and reminded them that it was legal for players to back off the circle at any time, before, during, or after the toss.

"Hold your spots"? No such rule for everybody.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

If so, you're a better basketball official than I am (with apologies to Rudyard Kipling).

(Mark T. DeNucci, Sr., Do Not Read)

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Girls varsity prep school game. My partner, a veteran who's been officiating for forty-five years, is the referee in a two person game.

It's the start of the game. He has already checked to make sure that the jumpers are facing the correct baskets, and he has already checked with the "speaking" captains if they are ready to play. So we're all set to go, and he moves toward the center of the circle, and is about to make the toss, when one of the coaches instructs his players to change positions with a teammate. One player starts to move onto the circle, and the other starts to move off the circle, with their two opponents following them.

As the umpire, I immediately think,"S*it. What's the rule? Do I wait until the toss is made and call a violation? Do I call the violation now? Is it a double violation? Is it a violation? Just let it go, since I'm not 100% sure about the rule?"

Luckily, my partner, with a cooler head than me, he has less hair, backs away from the circle and has everybody reset, he tosses the ball, and we go on our merry way.

All you veteran Forum members have heard this spiel from me before. No more jump balls. Start the game ... with the visitors getting possession first.

And I know that I should have known the rules better than I did in this game. Back before that alternating possession arrow, when we had several jump balls a game, at three different circles, between any two players, not just the tallest ones, when coaches had a few jump ball plays, I knew these rules like the back of my hand. I could quote them in my sleep. Now, with, usually, one jump ball a game, I just assume, wrongly, that the ball will get tossed, everybody will obey the rules, and we'll get the game started.

OK. I've said my piece. I've had my catharsis. Now, could someone please help me down from this soapbox so that I don't hurt myself. I'm not as young as I used to be ... I'll take out the old rulebook and study up on the many jump ball rules. Fool me once. Shame on me. Fool me twice. Shame on me, again.