Oops, followed too close

[mplagrow]

I don't ref a lot of high school games, but I was doing a boys' tournament a few weeks ago. One thing that gets me is the pace. I was trail, and maybe I was following the point guard a little too closely. The ball was poked out by the defense, and all of the sudden there's a fast break coming right at me. I froze and let the play go past, but then of course I was behind the layup. The shooter brought the ball down, and the defender along side him slapped straight down, hard. I have no idea to this day if he got ball, arm, hand or what. I just know the shot didn't make it up. I reflexively blew the whistle, and (trying not to cringe), called the foul. If anyone had said, "You were in no position to make that call!" I would have had to agree.

Should I have positioned myself differently as trail? Or is the speed of the game just fast enough that this is going to happen from time to time? I felt pretty stupid.