Weird inbounds play

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by bigbeardedbryan

JV boys game, working alone because AD messed up scheduling.

White has an A/P throwin along the sideline. Blue has already been warned for delay (and picked up an intentional foul in the process for striking an inbounding player).

I bounce the thrower the ball and step back, ready to chop time. Then he does something silly. He reaches the ball across the boundary line, right in front of the blue defender, just as if he's about to start a dribble and go around him.

Blue sees the ball in front of him and instinctively reaches for it. Both players simultaneously possess the ball and I blow the whistle for the held ball... then my brain freezes.

How should this be handled? Remember, white had the ball for an A/P throwin. I've bounced this around a few heads in our group and gotten an array of answers, including one that I couldn't have a held ball because white was out of bounds with possession (but I don't buy that). Thanks!

bigbeardedbryan:

You have gotten some pretty good advice already in this thread. But now I have a question: Why in the world did you officiate a boy's H.S. JV game by yourself. Yes, I know it is not about us, it is about the players. And that is why, I would not have officiated this game by myself.

Just last Saturday afternoon, Mark, Jr., and I officiated a boys' H.S. FR game as a two-man crew (yeah, I know, Mark, Jr., was really officiating the game by himself since I was his partner, ) and it should have been officiated by a three-man crew.

The game of basketball at the H.S. level is difficult enough to officiate with a two-man crew that H.S. level and above games should be officiated with a three-man crew. There is just too much going on inbounds for one official to watch.

MTD, Sr.

[shishstripes]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Why in the world did you officiate a boy's H.S. JV game by yourself?

Agree and 2-1-2 The game officials shall be a referee and an umpire or a referee and two umpires...I know time and money are put into getting v team there etc. Personally when others say they are working 1-man, it often makes me wonder. And you often have agreements that when you work by yourself you get payed for both or extra with the schools and your associations?

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Why in the world did you officiate a boy's H.S. JV game by yourself.

Because unless there is a safety issue (e.g., water on the floor) or equipment issue (e.g., broken rim and no replacement), the rule of thumb is to play the game. Everybody's there, except your partner. Everybody expects a game to be played. Play the game, do your best, don't take crap.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Because unless there is a safety issue (e.g., water on the floor) or equipment issue (e.g., broken rim and no replacement), the rule of thumb is to play the game. Everybody's there, except your partner. Everybody expects a game to be played. Play the game, do your best, don't take crap.

I've done/started plenty like this. But, never above the 7th/8th grade level. I could see how it is different at the higher level. But, I'd probably go for it.

I had a situation once where my partner never showed for a boys reserve (sophomore) game, and the AD actually went and got a shirt from the coaches, and worked the game with me. Had me redo the payment voucher so I got my game fee, as well as my partner's. I told the AD, we could always use more officials, to which he replied thanks but no thanks. He was actually pretty good, probably better than the partner I was supposed to have.

[bigbeardedbryan]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

But now I have a question: Why in the world did you officiate a boy's H.S. JV game by yourself.
...

The game of basketball at the H.S. level is difficult enough to officiate with a two-man crew that H.S. level and above games should be officiated with a three-man crew. There is just too much going on inbounds for one official to watch.

MTD, Sr.

It's just the sad reality in our area that there aren't enough officials to go around (and too much travel for those of us who do work). I've worked two JV-B alone this year, and am told that isn't an atypical count. Varsity games in our district carry at best a 50% likelihood of booking three officials.

Sure, it was hard to do, but it kept my focus like crazy... and I think working baseball alone is tougher, having had to do that several times at the JV level last season.

Perhaps I should move to Ohio!