Question from a 1st Year: Those other members of the officiating crew.
 

One play that has cropped up a couple of times for me that has caused me some grief is the fast break pull up 3 point shot. It has happened to me a couple of times...

I'm the Lead, down past the endline. Team A pass is stolen out near the 28 foot line by B1. Everybody on the court is now in transition, including me up the sideline. As I'm nearing the division line, B1 pulls up for a shot very near to 3-point line, directly between me and his basket.

I cannot see the front side of his shoe as it relates to the line. Both times that it has happened to me, my partner (who I am told is responsible for this call in this situation) has no indication for me. As I recall, they were looking elsewhere both times.

Anyways, shot is good! What the hell am I supposed to do? I do not know if this was a 3-point goal or not. One of the things on my pre-game audio that I listened to said, "Get the 3-point call right. Stop play if need be."

So, if I blow it dead I'm going to my partner. If he has nothing is there any way we can award 3 points? Can someone from the rest of our crew of officials help? Person running clock says "he was behind the line"?

Can we help a 1st year, Vanilla Ice lovin' brother out here?

Word.

Are you working 2 man or 3? I'll assume 2 since you're new. In transistion, if you are near the shot and it is on your side of the court, take a peek at it and signal the 3 point attempt. If it is on the on the opposite side of the court, your partner has to live and die by it. Ultimately in both scenarios, it is the T's call. As with any call in any sport, if you are not completely sure, don't call anything.

Look to your partners first - if they don't help you out and you are not sure because you could not see for whatever reason you award 2 points for the bucket.

Pre-game that specific situation with your partner(s). Agree on the coverage to be used.

I asume two person crew. This is something I allways pre-game with my partner on coverage help and steal/quick transition. This is your call. Your partner is way out of position due to the steal. You need to get the best angle to see the feet and 3 point line. You can not go to your partner for help on this situation. He can not guess from his position. You will both look bad if that happens. Make the best call you can and live with it. If it appears the toes are behind the line fom your best angle, you got a "three".

2 man.
 

I'm doing everything I can to see, but I am behind the shooter and cannot make a determination.

Lets say...
 

we did pre-game it. It was my partner's responsibility to see it, but they did not see it and give me no signal.

What happens next? Play continues? I check scoreboard to see that only 2 points was added? Stop play? Caucus? Make sure that table only added 2?

[QUOTE=ca_rumperee] One of the things on my pre-game audio that I listened to said, "Get the 3-point call right. Stop play if need be."
QUOTE]

I disagree with this. If you are not sure and you blow the play dead, you are calling attention to the fact that you aren't sure. If you are not sure, don't signal the 3 and play on. This is a tough call in 2 man but as I said earlier, if you are guessing, a no call is a better guess.

Don't stop play. Only stop if you do not agree with the 3 point call (IOW you see the shooter on/over the line).

A good signal that is not in the book is to point to the line with 2 fingers on the shot if you see a foot on the line. Then put up 2 fingers when it goes in. This way there is not doubt.

I understand that this play can happen quick, but if you are going from T to L, you have to be in front of that play. What if there was a pass to the post, are you going to officiate post play from beyond the 3 point arc?

Then it's a 2-point try.

When in doubt, read case book play 2.10.1SitG.:)

He was going from L to T.

1. If you don't know, the shot is worth only 2 points.
2. If I am in your position, I stop the game on the made goal and ask my partners for help. If none of them have it as a 3 for sure, it gets credited as a 2.
3. I'm not the least bit worried about looking unsure. I'm willing to put the ego aside in order to try to get the play right for the kids.

Good catch. That will teach me to multitask. Ignore my last post. :D

Yup, yup.

No way! If you don't see it, then it's a 2. If your partner has it different, then he or she will stop play to correct it. If you don't hear a whistle from your partner, then he/she has no help for you anyway.

Gotta pregame this, obviously.

Word?

Lame

(for Vanilla Ice that is...:eek: )

I'll be echoing most of the other comments. The situation has to be pre-gamed.

I was taught to only stop the game when you're sure that your P has incorrectly ruled 2 or 3 points. IOW, stop the game:

• if he signals 2, and it's a 3, or
• if he signals 3 and it's a 2.

Furthermore, if this is a transition play, the new L has to understand and expect that you're not going to be in position. The athletes are often faster than the officials, and passing the ball moves up-court more quickly than an official running. Your P likely has few other players in his field of vision other than the ball carrier/shooter and the defender(s) playing defense. IMHO, s/he has to work this coverage into his/her game to be the best P s/he can be.

If you are able to get up-court somehow for proper coverage, signal the 3 if necessary, or the 2 if close.

In the end, if your P has no indication, and you do not know, as NV said, the made basket is worth 2 points.

I know it is not recommended, but I actually anticipate this play when a quick transition happens. Instead of running up the sideline as the new T, I swing a bit to the centre of the court, to get that angle needed to see the foot behind/beyond the 3-point line. You have to be quick to do this, though.

I'm curious to know if anyone here trusted their table crew enough on a situation like this, would you count this as a 3 if you and your partner's weren't sure, but the table person made this statement?

I have. In my only 2-person game last season, I had a play where I was T, A1 (visitors) dribbles across the top of the circle away from me to about the FT line extended. I "gave it up" to my partner, however my partner hadn't picked up the player. Sure enough, A1 shoots and makes it. I glance at my partner, and he does not show a 3-pt. attempt, so I turn to head down the court. Of course, visitor's bench says "That's a 3!". Since there wasn't a fast break, we killed it, got together and figured out neither one of us saw it, then turned to look at the table. The entire table told us that yes, A1 was behind the line and it was a 3. At this school, I trusted the table, so it was a no-brainer; counted the 3 and put the ball back in play right away.

The table is a part of the officiating crew, so I'm not afraid to use them occasionally.