Just curious on what the "pager" looking device the officials in the NBA are used for.

That's precision timers. The referees start the clock by pushing a button and it's sesitive to stop on their whistle. Some of the guys here will elaborate because they've used it in HS playoff games and I presume some NCAA conferences have it. ?? I've not used it but hope to someday.

If you're referring to the small black box worn by officials on their waistband during games, it's called the Precision Time System. There is a button on the box that allows them to start the clock. There is also a small microphone attached to their whistles that stops the clock.

Am I blind, or was the PTS not being used by officials in the tournament?

If you are talking about the NCAA Tournament, you are correct. Not all conferences used the system. I think that might have been a major reason it was not used in the tournament.

Peace

Thanks Rut, I was talking about the NCAAs...sorry about that. :)

It was used in the tournament at some sites in the first round. I recall seeing it during the first two weekends.

Not every site has access to it and the NCAA is unwilling to pay for it to be installed in those sites.

It wasn't used during the regional weekend, though, and I'm pretty sure that at least one of the sites had PT.

We used it during the state finals here in Florida. They still started the clock at the table, so we didn't have to worry about starting it (they did tell us if we see the clock not start -- to just go ahead and start it ourselves, rather than blow the whistle and stop everything).

Since I didn't have to start it, quite honestly I didn't really even notice it was there, especially after about the first 10 second of the game. It took me a second after the game to figure out what the guy with the timing system was following us to the locker room.