Playoff Tech.

[Old School]

Originally Posted by tmp44

I'm T and we have a tie-up in the corner, my side. I run in as I'm calling the jump ball. B ends up with the ball and, as I'm running in, A1 gives B1 what I can only describe as an "elbow shove" to the back. B1 turns around with a pissed off look in her face and the ball in her hands, but she was smart and didn't throw the ball at A1 although she looked like she might. When the coach asked what the T was for, I told him that it was dead ball contact that, 1) had it been live ball, would have been a common foul

Thoughts? One of the officials in my association who was at the game last night mentioned that, because it was a playoff game, maybe I should have held off on the T...anyone agree w/ that philosophy?

Contact after the whistle has been blown should be ignored unless it is intentional or flagrant. From your description, it sounds like just a common foul, not intentional in nature. Remember you said if the ball was live it would be a common foul. Ignore it! You had a very competitive playoff game. Referee the game like you have been there before, not like you are new. How a player can get two elbows into the back of another player sounds to me like she was hustling and just got caught in an awkward position, related to trying to get the ball. This is apart of the game and you must learn and understand the difference. I understand what the other official was telling you. Don't go looking for problems. Problems of this nature will come to you. Calling intentional fouls that are not obvious to everyone in the gym in a girls game is over officiating. Let the players decide the game. When we're not notice is when we do our best. Girls play ball and they play very smart. Rarely do you see "intentional acts" in girls ball.