I would appreciate your thoughts and ideas on the following. What criteria do you use as lead to come across the key on the same side as the trail, when do you return back and do you use your body position to tell the trail when you are watching the post play and when you are are taking the ball, while on his side? This is for two man federation mechanics. Thanks.

Ron,

In a 2-whistle game, I go ball-side when either: 1) there are two big bodies banging in the strong-side low-post; or 2) when I feel an entry pass to the low post is imminent.

When I go ball-side, my partner and I stay focused on our primary areas. That means that the Trail still has the ball until it comes into the low post. I don't need body language to communicate this, b/c it's a major point of the pre-game.

I go back to my "normal" position when neither (1) nor (2) is true any longer. I try to keep it simple, b/c I don't want to be bouncing back and forth like a pinball.

In a 3-whistle game, I am much quicker to come ball-side, but that's a whole different thread.

Chuck, I agree with what you said except there are new primary areas once the lead comes over. In this case the ball could be in the lead's primary once the lead comes across even though it was the trail's primary before? Can someone chime in and tell me if I looked at this correctly? I haven't looked at the changes much for two-person.

As a theoretical matter, that's true.

As a practical matter, L is crossing over to watch the post. The ball is rarely inside the arc and not at or on the way to the post on that side (unless it's a quick drive in which case L will naturally pick up the drive as it gets toward the post area).

Bob, it's true that the primary areas of responsibility change when the Lead comes ball-side? :confused:

Can someone with their books handy chime in on this? Didn't this change this year?

I just went to the NFHS site and this is what it says:

(2) When the Lead is ball side, he/she will have primary coverage when the ball is in the area between the arc and the closest lane line, below the free throw line extended.

The 2 in parenthesis is for two-person mechanics. The site is http://www.nfhs.org/Sports/basketbal...l_changes.html

As I read the book:

When ball is trail side: Lead has below the FT line extended, to the far lane-line.

When ball is lead side, but above the FT line extended: Lead has below the FT line extended and inside the arc on T side.

When lead goes across: Lead has below the FT line extended and inside the arc on T side (same as above).

As a practical matter: When T is on the ball, L has all the other players (often 8) -- he needs to look at the competitive match-up most likely to be key to the play.

Great pick-up, Tommy. The change is noted in Diagram 11 on page 26 of the Official's Manual.

This was not mentioned at our pre-season clinic, so I'm glad somebody pointed it out here.

Bob,
I thought that if a player drives to the basket that the trail takes that all the way? I will try to find the reference in the officials manuel

Other changes
 

There are also some changes in the text... see paragraph 204.

"The Lead official should be prepared to provide ball-side assistance when the ball and the majority of players are on the Trail's side of the court. Having the Lead move ball-side leaves one half of the court completely uncovered, therefore officials should use this mechanic sparingly and should thoroughly discuss its use during the pregame official's conference. Officials may also want to consult ther state high school association for guidlines regarding the use of this mechanic."

Diagram 11 does stress that the Lead must remember to go back to a 'boxed-in' position after the ball goes back beyond the 3-point line.

And also note that in Paragraph 206 (although it is not highlighted ... maybe it changed last year?) they have adopted the 3-man mechanic for the 2-man game:

"When a player with the ball starts a drive to the basket from an official's primary area, that official has the player and the ball all the way to the basket."

:)

Re: Other changes
 

When to Go ball side
 

I had a situation last week where during pre-game I discussed this with my partner. I work ball side like Chuck does and have done it for a few years now even though this just became and "ooficial" mechnanics change this year. NASO has been promoting this in their mechanics book for a while now. He insisted that he would not go ball side until the ball was already there. I tried to explain to him that by then it's too late. The whole purpose of moving ball side is getting the proper angle. You know when there are 2 guys fighting for position and the point guard is biding time and not driving, that the ball is coming in to the low post. That's when you need to get there-before the ball gets dumped in to the low post. That way you have the angle to see any contact from pushing off by the offensive player, to displacement by the defense. Knowing when to move back is more difficult. If the shot misses, usually I'll stay where I'm at unless there is a long rebound or the rebound is to my normal side. I guess it's more of an instinct than planning whereas on the feed to the low post, you'll see the players jockying for position and you can have time to think to yourself "hey, the ball could be coming into the post. If the PG is looking for it, I'm going ball-side (or something along those lines)".

Mregor

the problem will be
 

Officials who are set in their way and will not come ball side ever and those who are trail not going with the new mechanics when the lead does come across. You need an effective pre-game and your partner needs to be cooperative. If not, it could make for some bad looking double whistles.

This is a great thread and should be applied by all officials. The discussion are right on!!! Unfortunately I have nothing to add to what has already been stated.
We need more threads like this!!!

This is referred to as going strong side.
Strong side officiating differs in some areas, and personally The Federation messed it up for a couple of years...

If you look at all the diagrams.. Lead's primary used to be below FT Line (with exception of outside the 3 point arc).. Then Fed added that goofy thing about opposite lane last year or year before where lead did not have the ball opposite lane. My opinion and I think the changes this year validate this..They did that because too many leads would not go strong side or were making long distance calls across the paint. They did not want us to stop going stong side, nor did the Diagrams change. The one still showed that when lead went strongside that they did pick up ball when it was below FT Line.

Heres my opinion for what it is worth...If the ball is in a spread offense, with lots of skip passes you are probably not going strong side much or you will be a yo-yo.. Once the ball settles below FT lane line, (or there are a couple of big guys you need to go pick up to stop banging) Go after it and pick it up. My rule of thumb is... If I can say to my self "Should I go or Should I stay?) and the ball is still there I go...

This is also where you watch teams and pay attention to how they run their plays. If they isolate you may go across and pick up earlier--

Your goal is the best officiated game. Go across and ref the ball and dont be afraid to pick it up in front of you, we do it when we are opposite the Trail, why cant we do that when we are on the same side...? You just need to make sure that as you do that you have good off ball coverage by Trail... I also think that with Lead strong side, Trail off ball Trail has a better look at he cuts through the middle to where the ball may end up and can pick up the defense better and determine the blocks etc going down the middle or other sideof paint... Trail will always have perimeter and weakside rebounding no matter what side of the floor lead is on (weakside=opposite of lead) They always have the best view