Fun With Out Of Bounds …

[JRutledge]

I was always taught to have the "L" coverage. The Trail has the division line and the sideline they are on. And the Lead has the endline and the sideline they are on. Two-person coverage is flawed, so if you have it you are going to have to do things you would not need to do with a 3rd official out there. But not sure how the Trail can clearly know that the ball was knocked out on the offensive player. The Lead's positioning is also poor as he is sticking to the lane it appears. This play might not have been as bad, but if there is a play near the line and someone is stepping on the line, the Trail has no chance. The Lead has to make those kinds of calls.

Peace

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

... Two-person coverage is flawed, so if you have it you are going to have to do things you would not need to do with a 3rd official out there. But not sure how the Trail can clearly know that the ball was knocked out on the offensive player ... if there is a play near the line and someone is stepping on the line, the Trail has no chance. The Lead has to make those kinds of calls.

Agree, as does the NFHS.

The only problem is when the Lead is paying close attention to some real basketball action in his primary coverage area in the lane, maybe two post players trying to dominate each other as they fight for position, and/or screens being set at the elbows, or at the blocks. The Lead can't be ball watching looking for a ball handler to step on the sideline out near the division line.

While good officials should be always be aware of where all the players are, and where their partner is, we all know the problems that can occur with ball watching.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

While I've always disliked this "new" IAABO line responsibility mechanic, I do find myself doing less sideline above the free throw line extended ball watching as the Lead.

We IAABO guys made the old NFHS line responsibility (Lead has entire sideline) coverage work, as best as we could with two officials, back before IAABO switched (to avoid ball watching by the Lead) to a combined sideline primary coverage area and line responsibility (above/below the FT line extended). Knowing that the NFHS two person coverage (that we previously used) was flawed, IAABO just wanted to try something different, something that is also flawed. IAABO just traded one problem for a different problem.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Two-person coverage is flawed ...

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... IAABO just wanted to try something different, something that is also flawed. IAABO just traded one problem for a different problem.

As one of the few who has spent decades using both systems, I can confidently say that one system is not much better, or not much worse, than the other system. They're just different, and each has its own different problems.

And remember, I officiate in Connecticut, so not only am I familiar with both systems, but I'm also waht'cha call a two person game expert.