Two man crew with a veteran official. I was administering the jump-ball, had a good straight toss. Partner blows the whistle as the ball is coming down and says “re-toss.” I figure he saw something and re-administer the jump-ball.

At halftime I ask him what he saw and he said the ball was thrown to high. I did not toss the ball to the rafters, but at a height greater than either of the two jumpers could reach by my estimate.

Any opinions as to how high is too high or does anyone have a rule of thumb they follow?

I pick a spot in the air about 4 feet higher than the taller of the two jumpers, then "shot put" the ball to that spot with one hand. I know the "shot put" method is not the most popular, but it works for me.

Anyway, ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you I couldn't give a rat's patoot about doing something just because it's "popular". :p

Mark, would you ever kill the play because the ball was tossed "too high?"

when i am not throwing the ball for the jump, the main things that i watch for is whether or not the ball is tossed straight up and whether or not the two jumpers both have an equal opportunity to tip the ball. If they are both up there at the same time even if it goes to the moon(which if it did that it probably wouldn't come back, maybe some of our scientist can elaborate on that) and comes back down and opne player is not at a disadvantage then let it go.

New one on me. Never saw this nor have I ever heard of this. If my partner ever told me this I would be to stunned to reply.

I called one back myself this year...first game of the year....jr hi girls...threw more of an NBA toss...I called it back myself didn't even wait for the partner to do it.. wow I never thought of it before I must have just been to amped up for the first game of the year LOL :D

How'd you call it back if your whistle wasn't in your mouth? :D

I don't think I've ever called a bad toss by my partner because it was "too high" as long as it went straight up. I have called it because the toss was "too low", however.

well I threw it high enough I had time to get my whistle and blow it back LOL....no actually it was a tad late but not bad LOL...yes I spit my whistle out like I was supposed to LOL :D

Too high!!!
 

Sounds like a great toss to me.

Check the mechanics manual. Paragraph 212.
"The correct height is slightly higher than either player can jump."

So much for veteran partners... call a toss back because it is too high... I would have laughed.

Honestly, many of the tosses we see today, in the NBA for sure, and quite often in the NCAA, are tapped before they reach the top (apogee for those scientific minds). That is a bad toss. The benefit does not go to the player that can jump the highest or that has the best timing (similar to a rebound). It goes to the jumper that can get his hand out there the fastest.

I feel your veteran partner was wrong.

I wouldn't change my toss. Top of the ball at about 12 feet is great - slightly higher perhaps for big guys.

Next time let him toss and blow his toss dead.... he can't argue with it. Blow it dead twice - that's real embarrassing. Tell him at half time, "Uuuhhh, you had the wrong spin on it." :D

How often do we call toss back for being tapped well on the way up?

Had this last season. There's no way I'm missing the first call of the season. Is there an advantage gained on this play. Of course there is.

I have always been taught that there is no such thing as "to high of a toss" Better High than low or to the sides.

I would never have an offical re do a jumpball to start the game because the ball was thrown to high.

I can tell you this, if this will make you feel better. I was doing a varsity football game with a official who should have retired 10 years ago signals a field goal attempt was not good the other official signals good. When clearly it was straight down the middle. I ran to the two officials under the goal post before I made the signal to get a clear explaination of what was going on. The first official say's it's good. I could see where I was standing the field goal was good, but the vet official says the ball was kicked to "HIGH" I thought he was ribbing me. He was as serious as cancer. I signaled the field goal was good and we had him removed from our crew

Just throw the ball the same height as the rim and you are not going to go wrong.

If you practice this at a gym right under a rim, you can be more consistent.

Problem solved.

Peace