Glad there was no video

[rainmaker]

Saw the classic error this weekend. This level was called JV girls, but it was mostly 8th graders. The one team was in a stall, with the point guard above the top of the key, with the ball. She was looking down toward the baseline near the bench, and then tried a no-look pass off toward the other sideline. There was a player there, alright, but she bent over to tie her shoelace, just as the ball left the point guard's hands, and the ball flew out of bounds, over the top of the busy player. The timing was so perfect, I mean perfectly awful, that it looked like a scene from a movie. Everyone in the gym just froze for a second, and then I blew my whistle and the game went on, of course, but the coach didn't even yell or anything, it was too unbelievable for words!

[BktBallRef]

You mean you didn't stop the game so she could tie her shoe. She could have been injured!!

[Mark Padgett]

When will these kids learn? VELCRO!!!

[JeffRef]

Unfortunate turnover...or bad call?

A1 is going full tilt to save a ball on the sideline. He saves the ball to B1 and then crashes hard (I mean hard!) into the wall. B1 is concerned and steps to A1 (with the ball) to make sure he is OK. Referee blows the whistle and calls B1 for travelling.

This was a grade 8 level game (FIBA) and I was in the stands. Did the referee do the right thing?

I don't think so. The blow of the whistle should've been to stop play for possibly injured A1. Then team B gets the ball back when play resumes. C'mon it's grade 8!

Any comments?

[Brian Watson]

Is that a metric grade 8?

[Richard Ogg]

For 8th grade I hit my whistle. Either the player is injured and in need of help or I had an inadvertant whistle and give the ball back to B. (I agree with JeffRef.) I might even do it at JV, since the hit was HARD!