Kicked Ball
 

Can someone clearly explain the rules for a kicked ball for the offensive team and for the defensive team? My partner last night, in my opinion, misjudged two of these, which I explained to him after the game. Just wanted to check myself.

HR

There is no difference for the offensive or defensive team. Intentionally striking the ball with any part of the leg is a kick. Anything else is not a kick.

In my case A1 dribbled the ball rather hard off her foot which ended up going to A2. Partner calls a kicked ball and gives the ball to B.

From your description, definitely not a kicked ball.

Oh, and it wouldn't matter whether it was her foot or her defenders, in neither case would it be a kicked ball.

The key word in ruling this play correctly would be, intentionally.

I agree with both of you that the intent is the key part. I explained this to my partner, who has been calling for a long time. I am a new official.

I had this same discussion with a wreck league warrior a couple weeks ago.

He told me in the middle of the game that we needed to "clean up a lot of the kick balls out there."

We did have a few loose balls in the game, but all the ones I saw were not with intent. I told him that, and at first he tried to correct me on the rule. Then, when he realized he had the rule wrong, he tried to go to the "well we gotta be consistent, otherwise the players are just gonna get upset."

I just walked away from him at that point. I'm hoping not to get him as a JV partner this year. But if I do, we'll have to have a loooooong pre-game.

All right, someone has to ask. If you are both looking at the ball handler enough that you are questioning youre partner's judgement on a kicked ball, who is officiating the rest of the players?

Yeah - and being consistent is calling it a kick whenever it's intentional and not whenever it's not. Did you explain this to him?

Earlier in the conversation I had said, "We've got to call it as the rule says. That means if it's intentional, we call it, if it's not, we don't."

To which he responded with his "consistency" comment. It was clear he wasn't going to be out-argued so I just let him have the last word.

That's the same rule here for FIBA. However, I'd like to inform that you're not alone with Billy Packer; some days ago the technical commentator (a former player) told the public a nice gem.

Team B deflects OOB a pass from A1 to A2; ball to A with 1 second left on the shot clock. The commentator seriously says: "Only a few people know that if the thrower in bats the ball against a defender's leg, team A would get a new 24 second period." :eek:

Yes, very few people; and not the officials, hopefully. :cool:

Another Myth Bites The Dust ...
 

Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot. An unintentionally kicked ball is never illegal, regardless of how far the ball goes and who recovers it. It is also illegal to hit the ball with a fist.

Just For Kicks
 

In twenty-seven years, most of the kicks that I've called have been against the defensive team, where the defensive player sticks out his, or her, leg to prevent a pass from going past him, or her.

I do remember one play where it was against the offensive team. The team on offense was starting a fast break, when the ball got loose on the floor. A2 was wide open leading the break, so A1 kicked the ball from the floor forward to him, who then secured the ball and scored. Easy call. Kick. No basket. During a timeout, a fan told me that the kicker was an all-state soccer player.