Toughest game to officiate in quite some time

[JugglingReferee]

Hello,

I thought about commenting after a men's league game I had a coupla weeks ago, but for some reason I didn't. A V game I had last night had a similar element, and I would describe the element as "even more so".

Both games were tough to officiate. The usual "walk in the park" response to how the game went could not be given.

Especially the game last night... the teams were good, but bad. They were bad, but good. We called 24 fouls in the first half (13 + 11). We could have called more, and definitely not less. The game never got out of hand, and the coaches never said boo, yet I have this feeling that I didn't officiate well.

Sometimes while running a play, a player would forget that he's supposed to v-cut to over there, and when he remembers where he's supposed to be, he'll bump a defender off his path. That defender's opponent rarely received a pass, or created some sort of offensive advantage, so I let it go, as did my partner. At times the contact was a bit much, perhaps in another game I would call it, but everyone seemed content for that contact to be a part of this game.

Players tried really hard to block shots, but weren't always quick enough to get a blocked shot. Many times I used the philosophy behind Steve Javie's famous quote; the shooter was contacted after the release. The contact did not displace the shooter, take him out of rebounding position or affect his landing, nor did his arm did not flail in another direction.

There was a break-away and the dribbler, on his last dribble, double-dribbled. Two hands on the ball, but I might have been the only one that saw it. I let it go because it was a break-away, I had already decided that these players weren't as skilled as the usual V players I officiate, and that this player's steal and break-away layup was good for the game (the excitement level was raised).

Other foul/violation sitchs like the above three paragraphs happened, and I/we handled them the same way.

The point at which I have a foul was definitely pushed back due to the nature of this game. I understand this happens probably every game. Each official has a range in which they officiate, in terms of how much contact they let go, what little travel they let go, etc.... but I found this game that my bar was outside of my usual range. I don't think I've had a game like this in years. I can't remember when a game like this last happened for me. It was odd the whole game. I took it that I was doing well, since not a single player or coach said anything, the players were having fun and there was some cheering from the crowd of 20.

The players did adapt - the third quarter hardly had any fouls, and as for the fourth, especially the last 4:00, had more fouls as the game was close as teams were playing hard to the end. Both teams ended up with 9 or 10 fouls in that half.

(I rarely go into double bonus, let alone both teams. But in both halves... this is an oddity for sure.)

Have you ever had a game like this? Perhaps seen one officiated by a colleague?

Does anyone know what I'm talking about or am I talking out of my cheeks?