Fun With Free Throw Coverage ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

This is not really FT coverage, but rebounding coverage. The FT is over so you are not looking at the same things you would during the FT.

Somewhat agree.

The problem, in a two person game, is that the Lead's free throw responsibilities (free throw violations) end with the release (all the Lead's free throw responsibilities are rebounders on the lane lines), while the Trail's free throw responsibilities (free throw violations) end with the hit (the Trail's free throw responsibilities also include the shooter and the players behind the three point line), leaving a split second of possible mayhem when one (and only one) official is still watching for free throw violations (Trail) and the other (Lead, and only the Lead) has already turned his attention from free throw violations to rebounding fouls.

For a split second both official's have to wear two hats, covering one's free throw responsibility coverage area, while also covering one's "regular" (rebounding) primary coverage area, in essence "blurring" the basket line for a split second. That's why both officials (especially the Lead) back up to get wide angle open views on free throws. For a split second, it's mostly on the Lead (and only the Lead) to observe, recognize, and call rebounding fouls.

Once the free throw hits, both officials should be able go into "regular" (rebounding) primary coverage area mode, but if an official (often the Lead) already has his eye on a potential rebounding problem based on his free throw responsibility coverage area, he probably should keep his (wide angle fish-eye) eye on that potential rebounding problem rather than changing to his "regular" (rebounding) primary coverage area mode.

One of the many perils of a two person game. And we know that all too well here in Connecticut.

While free throw coverage, and rebounding coverage, are both important and interesting topics worthy of discussion, I'm distracted because I'm still pissed that I probably blew the call, and probably blew it badly. If I blow this call in the second period; I can live with that, the team has plenty of time to overcome my mistake. When I blow this call in the last minute of a tied game, I may lose some sleep that night because my blown call is "magnified" because the offended team may not have enough time to recover.