Working Center Position
 

After my game tonight one of the guys I worked with (which was the first time I ever worked with him) offered this advice. He thought I was working to high at Center. My usual position is foul line extended, but when teams spread it out I will go a step to a step and a half higher, I feel that when teams spread out the court by working a step deeper at center you have a better angle at your primary and also are in a better postion to cover any pressure that may occur out top that you may have to go out and officiate. Do you guys have any advice when working C? ALso when you are C or T and have a match-up in your primary especially when you are in C if you need to take a step do you choose to go high or low to officiate the match up? I used to go low but I was told last year that you get better angles by going high. What works best for you guys?

You may need to reword this because it appears to contradict what I believe you are saying. Regardless, IMO if you take a step or two toward the division line you will be very close to as high as the T so I don't do it for that reason. A better triangle for surrounding the play if you stay nearer the free throw line extended.
Your second question, if I have a match-up like you describe I prefer to step high, again toward the division line so I am better prepared to continue on to become the new T as I will anticipate a flex by the L is going to occur and if it does and you have stepped toward the baseline it makes a good rotation tougher to complete.

The most recent info I got at my camps this summer was that the Center now has a "bigger dance floor" and can work the entire width of the free throw circle. In general, the teaching this summer was that you work a high C (a couple steps higher than the free throw line) if the ball and at least two matchups are above the FT line. The reasoning being that the action that might come your way (ball matchup or pick) is more likely to be high. As the ball goes below the FT line, you would probably want to step towards a low C (a couple steps below the FT line) for the same reason.

That being said, there is no golden rule that works for all situations so it's a general guideline and not a hard and fast rule.

As far as stepping up or down, I believe that you just do what puts you in the best position to get an open look on your matchup. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down. :)

Work the C position so you can get the best angle to see the matchups in your primary. Let the players determine your court position without you having to consciously be aware of whether you were above or below or at FT Line extended. Besides, there are situations in which you as C would initiate the rotation so that you become the trail.

Only the tape will tell for sure. Get a copy and look at your postioning as C as it relates to players in your primary. Maybe you will see you actually did go higher than needed as your partner suggested. Get input of others also then make adjustments if neeed.

Mechanics are a guide only. Use your experience and the location of the players dictate where you stand.

Sometimes I go high, sometimes I go low. It's based on where the matchup is, and the location of the other players on the court, which usually tell you where the next pass is coming from and to.

This is the best advice I have ever received on this subject. Players have to dictate our positioning...more than anything else because we have to se plays.

Unless there is a competitive match up high, I like to shade low at the C, below the FT line extended, especially this year because...

On of my personal POE this year is to do a better job officiation the shots down low when I am at C. This is particularly true when the shot is coming from my primary, but very close to the imaginary line splitting my primary and the L's primary. In the past, I have tended to let the L make those calls and have let some felonies go uncalled because (s)he has stayed off them as well.

Rule of thumb: Go wherever you need to go to ref the play.

If you need to go high because it's a spread, then go high. If you need to step up, step up. Step down when you need to. When I have a partner who tells me something like your partner did, my response is "I got a very good angle on that drive by stepping higher. Did that create some kind of problem for you?" Usually works quite well.

As far as stepping down towards baseline on shots or rebounding - I really dislike that personally. I have found that stepping up and stepping out onto the court gives me a much better angle between the shooter and defender or between rebounders on my weak side. But it's all personal preference. If I was 6'6", I would probably be able to get good angles by stepping down. I'm not, so I don't.

Go to where works, but I will tell you that working low looking high is probably not the best.. If you step low and look out you are closing angles down and you dont have a great vision of your area. As mentioned you go high you are in best position when lead comes across.. Go low and lead comes strong side you may have some akwardness...

Thanks
 

Thanks for everyones input.

Agreed that you don't often want to "go" low, but too many officials want to "go" high even when the ball /match-up is still closer to the division line than the official. There's nothing wrong with staying still and looking high.

Agreed. My weakest position when working games is the C position. All through the John Holt Officiating Camp, all my reviews/evaluations said to work on better position on the C. This helped cleared it up. Great question, great answers! Thanks!

-Lucas

Was surfing ref60.com and found:

Ref60 has an article on the subject of 60 Seconds on Officiating: Movement in the Saddle / Slot.

The take home message is pretty good advice: it's what I do and it works for me.

"Recommended first movement is a slight step back towards the sideline, which gives the center official better depth. The next movement is deciding to dive down one step (or two), or draw back based on your preferred angle of vision."

Since most people start with 2-man, and often have to learn "how deep to be as T", the same learning curve applies to working the C: how to move will improve with experience.

I'm which ya'.........just personal preference, the same reason I'm very deep as a lead, I get a better view.

I would say good job to the OP for the willingness to move at all. There are far too many officials who want to plant their feet and stand there. What Rocky said above is true and works.

Something else to think about is stepping the opposite direction to where the matchup is going. If there is a drive to the hoop, going low will have a better chance of putting you in a bad position, but stepping high will open things up. The same thing can be said for a dribbler coming out of the corner towards the top of the key - this is a good time to step down to look through the play.