I had a week off, but returned tonight with a 3-person BV game.

Coaches worked us all game, but nothing to write home about. Game stayed close all the way through.

With about 20 seconds left, the visiting team was up 2. Home team had the ball and the guard drove the lane and we had a huge collision.

"Block, block, count it." A bit of enthusiasm on my part. Kid hits the free throw and the visiting team misses 2 chances to win.

Visiting coach was on me, saying it "looked like a charge from here." I told him the guard was airborne and the defender was still tying to get position (he was sliding up). As we entered the locker room, both partners told me how great of a call it was.

Nice to have a close game with a good finish.

--Rich

true, there's nothing better then knowing you've made a great game, knowing the teams fought and you did it well, and the crowd must've enjoyed it too, that's why we ref isn't it (and for a little extra cash ;))?

I made $36.66 last night (2 $55 checks split 3 ways) and the bar bill was $35 -- after gas, I didn't even break even :)

Last night Boys JV.

Lead changed hands three times in last 6 seconds (free throws). Sent into overtime with a legal heave from mid Court that bounced thirty feet above the rim and down through.

Fans spilling onto floor. Pandamonium. Stayed close through OT. Last few seconds of overtime we had 2 different "and one's" and even a missed freethrow miss attempt (rim violation).

Most exciting. Even the loosing coach thanked us.

I love this game.

Rich and Ref Daddy,
Good ones!
Thanks.
mick

That's a big backboard!

Do you ever work with a guy named Jack Fleming?

Had my best call of the year tonight. You know the times when you see things as if they are in slow motion? (I think more research into vision/perception should be done.) I had a guard on the home team take off on a layup just above the bottom of the bubble (airborne shooter). The visiting guard is just camped out waiting for him, great position, shoulders squared. Seemed like a 3 second wait for the shooter in my mind to come down. Shot is released, shooter comes down on B and they both crash to the floor. Bang! Signal charge, wave off basket, we go the other way. Home crowd goes nuts! It's a great feeling to report to the table a foul that you had nailed all the way.

Yup. You can take that one to the bank.

Now I'm working on having that feeling about a whole game. I'm up to about a quarter at a time.

What's "bottom of the bubble"??

J,

I've been doing this for over 30 years and still looking for my first "perfect game" in BB and FB.

Dan,

On floors that still have the jump circle at each foul line, the "bubble" is that circle. The bottom is the area of the circle closest to the basket.

Forks,

If you're interested in some research that's been done on vision, Kent Holm did a very interesting, well researched series on vision and football officiating over on the pay side. Check out: http://football.officiating.com/x/article/4281

I've coached a number of crazy ones this year:

1) Tie game, opponents holding for last shot. They miss with about :07 left, my star gets rebound and goes coast-to-coast and wins it with a ten-foot runner that beat the horn by about a full second.

2) Up by three with less than ten seconds left, opponents take a two and we call timeout with 5.1 left. We get the long inbound pass and a layup at the horn to win by three.

3) Down by three with 24 seconds left, use last timeout to set up a play for a three. Play breaks down and ball goes out deep in corner with 11 seconds left. We get an exchange between our star player and best shooter, the shooter's girl leaves to double our star, and she kicks it back to the shooter for a three that swished as the horn went off. Won going away in OT.

4) Down 15 at half, rally all the way back to lead by one with about 20 seconds left. We make just one of two, and they call timeout. We are the better team so I was sure they were going for the three. Sure enough, but we forced them to get a tough one off, leaning from about 23 feet. Off the glass, off the rim, and...out as we hang on to win by two.

I'm going gray.

Congratulations, Coach, on going 4-0 in the crazy ones! That no doubt is a reflection of a well-coached team.

I do have one question. Why did *your* team call the time out after your opponent's made basket? Wouldn't the other team want to stop the clock with a TO, whereas your team would want the clock to run? Or (a) are you a college coach, or (b) did I misunderstand the sequence of things and their bucket went in just under ten seconds and your inbounder waited with the clock running down until she dared not risk a violation and called the TO.

Regardless, congrats on the Ws!