Good Tuesday

[Junker]

I'm just feeling good this morning and thought I'd post. I had a women's game last night and the crew (1 I've worked with before, the other I've met at camps) was really sharp. We had a competitive game and we rotated well, mechanics were good, and we were seeing the game the same way. Communication was as good as I've ever had on a crew other than my high school crew. I opened on Saturday and it went fine, but it was a complete blowout. I think we did a good job, but last night was a night when we were just "in it". How has everyone else's openers gone?

[Splute]

I will let you know tomorrow. It should be fine.

[Splute]

Originally Posted by Splute

I will let you know tomorrow. It should be fine.

Well its tomorrow.... Girls JV, 10th A & B.... didnt go as perfect as I had hoped, but it wasnt a total disaster either. Home team gets jump ball; fails to score, visitors rebound and drive for score.. Home team blocks shot, all ball and partner calls foul on home team... that is when it started Visitors second possession, same situation, all ball, foul, Home coach goes ballistic. That set the tone and the home crowd rode us the rest of the night. I believe the calling improved, but the crowd was not happy with anything we called. I stayed for the Varsity game to see if they called it differently regarding fouls and to watch how experienced officials work. They called it the same as we did, but didnt get the same crowd remarks. So here are the things I take away from the game that I need to improve on:
1 Better communication with partner (several minor issues that made us look bad)
2. Posture / solid calling & reporting
3. Bonus administration (this one bites: my partner, lead, called a foul, I didnt catch the player that was fouled, we inbound and are informed of bonus situation... yep, you guessed it... who is going to shoot? curses!!!)
4. Study the rules, AGAIN!
5. Communication with partner!!

For my first School game ever, I think it was positive.... at least I am not going to give up just yet.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by Splute

Well its tomorrow.... Girls JV, 10th A & B.... didnt go as perfect as I had hoped, but it wasnt a total disaster either. Home team gets jump ball; fails to score, visitors rebound and drive for score.. Home team blocks shot, all ball and partner calls foul on home team... that is when it started Visitors second possession, same situation, all ball, foul, Home coach goes ballistic. That set the tone and the home crowd rode us the rest of the night. I believe the calling improved, but the crowd was not happy with anything we called. I stayed for the Varsity game to see if they called it differently regarding fouls and to watch how experienced officials work. They called it the same as we did, but didnt get the same crowd remarks. So here are the things I take away from the game that I need to improve on:
1 Better communication with partner (several minor issues that made us look bad)
2. Posture / solid calling & reporting
3. Bonus administration (this one bites: my partner, lead, called a foul, I didnt catch the player that was fouled, we inbound and are informed of bonus situation... yep, you guessed it... who is going to shoot? curses!!!)
4. Study the rules, AGAIN!
5. Communication with partner!!

For my first School game ever, I think it was positive.... at least I am not going to give up just yet.

Love that you've got a list to work on - sounds a lot like most "first games" in that there are pieces that just don't work well, and others that work very well. Communication and confidence will go a long way to cleaning things up.

One thing you'll notice as you work, (at least this is true from my experience) is that the lower the level, the more hostile the crowd will be. Just tune them out!

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Splute

Home team blocks shot, all ball and partner calls foul on home team. Visitors second possession, same situation, all ball, foul, Home coach goes ballistic.

I have to wonder about who was where and who was watching what. Your partner called shooting fouls on two consecutive possessions and you had a good enough look at both to state decisively that they were wrong? Who was watching the other 8 players?

[SMEngmann]

Originally Posted by just another ref

I have to wonder about who was where and who was watching what. Your partner called shooting fouls on two consecutive possessions and you had a good enough look at both to state decisively that they were wrong? Who was watching the other 8 players?

JAR, I'd back off this a little bit, he did say the situation was on a drive so most likely the ball was right in the middle of the paint, a spot where both officials can have a very good look at the play. I like to pregame my coverage in 2 man as refereeing where the other official cannot, and this can very well end up in two officials refereeing different parts/angles of the same play. The discipline comes in not guessing and reffing the defense and trusting that your partner has an open look if you've got a closed angle. If you subscribe strictly to the lines on the floor and where the players are method of officiating, you can pretty much guarantee that there will be guessing going on, and that you don't have good coverage as a crew. That being said, the OP probably got a good open look at the play and his partner didn't trust him and guessed wrong.

[Splute]

Originally Posted by just another ref

I have to wonder about who was where and who was watching what. Your partner called shooting fouls on two consecutive possessions and you had a good enough look at both to state decisively that they were wrong? Who was watching the other 8 players?

Fair question. I was trail, tableside, player driving from my primary into paint for shot, I stepped down to three point arc to prepare for rebound. I didnt say my partner was wrong, I said the block was all ball and will further clarify that my view was it was a clean block, thus no whistle from me. I didnt tell the story to rag my partner; rather I intended to explain how the tone was set early for a long night.

[Splute]

After my final post last night I went to bed rethinking the game and my post. Again let me be clear, I would have to beat up my performance before I could even consider addressing my partner. I made too many mistakes of my own. After rethinking the game, it amazed me how many things happened in that first game that have been covered on this forum. Some I immediately realized; some I didnt till later. For instance, I swore that in one of my games (clearing my throat) I would never let the Scoring Team immediately step out of bounds and throw in the ball. Let me restate that... Team A scores basket (it is now B's ball w/running endline) Team A grabs ball and begins a throw-in. Ya know, I cant say that will never happen in my game ever again Fortunately we caught it but I was completely taken by surprise. Another early lesson. So many other things.... I have lots to learn

[kbilla]

Originally Posted by Junker

I'm just feeling good this morning and thought I'd post. I had a women's game last night and the crew (1 I've worked with before, the other I've met at camps) was really sharp. We had a competitive game and we rotated well, mechanics were good, and we were seeing the game the same way. Communication was as good as I've ever had on a crew other than my high school crew. I opened on Saturday and it went fine, but it was a complete blowout. I think we did a good job, but last night was a night when we were just "in it". How has everyone else's openers gone?

Had a really good men's juco game on Sat for my opener, 87-86 I believe...only bad part was the officials locker room was literally INSIDE the home team locker room (little room off to the side) and of course the home team lost by a point...so we had to sit in our little box and listen to the home team coach rip his team a new one for 10 mins before we could slink out with our heads down right past the team as they changed...not a good set-up!

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Junker

How has everyone else's openers gone?

Double OT. Can you believe that?!?! Last night's juco was a lot easier. Toss at 7, home by 8:45. Beautiful!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Double OT. Can you believe that?!?! Last night's juco was a lot easier. Toss at 7, home by 8:45. Beautiful!

Do you live on campus?

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Do you live on campus?

I think it went quicker because he only had to toss it up 1 time to start the game.

[tomegun]

I've had 3 college games and 6 (MS does double-headers) high school games already. The opener went well enough that I don't really remember much about it.

[Junker]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Double OT. Can you believe that?!?! Last night's juco was a lot easier. Toss at 7, home by 8:45. Beautiful!

Must be nice. My game was a little over 2 hours away. I rolled into my place at 11ish still wide awake. I warned my students that I didn't get much sleep and I might be cranky today.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Double OT. Can you believe that?!?! Last night's juco was a lot easier. Toss at 7, home by 8:45. Beautiful!

Double OT??? What is wrong with you?

Were you by any chance working with my buddy Bhuck Elics? He had a double OT game the other day also...