Toughest call for you?

[zm1283]

Traveling is the hardest for me.

[Mark Padgett]

This is a tough one. It's either icing or pass interference, especially when they happen in the backcourt.

[LSams]

basket interference, goaltending

oh yeah, and that call to my wife telling her I just accepted more games tomorrow night

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by LSams

basket interference, goaltending

oh yeah, and that call to my wife telling her I just accepted more games tomorrow night

HA! Very funny!

[Amesman]

Originally Posted by LSams

basket interference, goaltending

oh yeah, and that call to my wife telling her I just accepted more games tomorrow night

Amen to that

[cardinalfan]

Calling the jump ball on a blocked shot when the defender's hand gets on top for a split second before the shooter releases the ball.

[refnrev]

When I first started it was the block/charge. Now its traveling.

[budjones05]

No question, traveling.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by LSams

basket interference, goaltending

I think the most difficult call is getting the shot off the glass/block right. Sometimes they can occur so bam-bam fast, it can be difficult to know if the ball hit the glass first or if the hand hit the ball first.

If you referee the defense, block/charge is easy.

If you'll pick up the pivot foot, traveling is easy.

[tjchamp]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I think the most difficult call is getting the shot off the glass/block right. Sometimes they can occur so bam-bam fast, it can be difficult to know if the ball hit the glass first or if the hand hit the ball first.

I'm not sure I understand. What difference does it make if the ball hit the backboard first or not? Isn't it a matter of the ball in downward flight. Short guy on layup can put ball off glass and still ball on upward flight.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

traveling

[zeedonk]

Mid way into my second year, I feel pretty comfortable with the block/charge as long as I remind myself to "referee the defense" You can't watch the ball and get a good feel for block/charge IMO.

Explaining to the coach that once the defender obtains legal guarding position, he doesn't have to have both feet down AND can move (not forward) is driving them nuts.

Travelling has taken over as #1, but as long as I can view the pivot, it becomes easier, not easy....

I suspect that next year, I will be moving on to more complicated issues like, consistency in the block/charge (ie- we had a block on home team at one end, so in a bang-bang play at the other, it should be a block on visiting team) In those terms, I think the block/charge will regain its spot as #1....

Z

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by MelbRef

I'm a first year, and I wonder what's the most difficult judgment call for you guys to make.

For me, it's the hard drive to the basket block/charge call (as the lead).
(follow up question: what specifically do you concentrate on to make the right block/charge call)

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I think the most difficult call is getting the shot off the glass/block right. Sometimes they can occur so bam-bam fast, it can be difficult to know if the ball hit the glass first or if the hand hit the ball first.

If you referee the defense, block/charge is easy.

If you'll pick up the pivot foot, traveling is easy.

MelbRef,
No offense intended at BktBallRef, but he has been at it for a considerable period of time. While he indicates the block/charge and travel/no travel calls are easy -- he means easy for HIM.

As a first year official, I would not sweat the block/charge call. Officiate the defense. These calls present themselves anywhere from 0 times a game (any game below the jr. high level and many jr. high games) to 6 to 10 times a game (varsity HS boys). If you assume that only 1/3 of these calls occur in your primary, you will likely encounter only 2 - 4 of these calls in a boys varsity game. Even if you get these calls wrong 67% of the time (assuming that there are three outcomes -- no call, foul on offense and foul on defense -- and you do no better than random guessing), you will miss anywhere from 0 calls to a max. of 1 or 2 times in a game. Not a significant impact on the game. If you happen to miss a goaltending/basket interference call (not many of these in girls games or boys games below the varsity level), you will likely miss none in a typical game.

On the other hand, a travel/no travel call can occur up to SIX TIMES every time a player possesses the ball. You have to watch for a travel when:
1. the player receives the ball,
2. while the player is holding the ball/pivoting with the ball
3. as the player gets ready to start a dribble,
4. as the player picks up his dribble,
5. as the player is holding the ball/pivoting with the ball after the dribble,
6. as the player is releasing the ball on a shot or a pass.

Included in these six are situations in which a player is diving, sliding, rolling, sitting on the floor; is potentially close to having the ball held by an opponent and having to "work" to maintain possession of the ball; is trying to release the ball for a try as the defender gets a hand on the ball, etc.

The travel/no travel decision happens up to once every three to five seconds all game long. While there is seldom a violation at the the varsity level, you still need to be aware of the possibility at all times.

Fouls on shots, fouls against the dribbler, and fouls on rebounds all happen much more frequently than the block/charge call. Work hard to get these calls right.

The other area that frequently presents itself -- especially when a team is playing man-to-man defense -- is that of legally set screens vs. not-so-legally set screens. The coach of the offensive team thinks his teams always set legal screens. The coach of the defensive team thinks that any time a defender loses his man, some illegal activity must have caused it. These situations can present themselves twice every single time a pass is made (two offensive players without the ball screen for the other two offensive players without the ball). Once again, I would work to work to get these calls right -- they typically happen far more frequently than the block/charge call presents itself.

While one can argue that these calls are all "easy" to see and make, I would disagree. You may have two screens in your primary happening at the same time -- many feet apart. Similar to the defender obtaining a LGP prior to the contact, the screener has certain rules that he must follow (foot position, time-and-space on certain screens, etc.).

Work to improve your foul recognition capability and your ability to recognize travel violations. Once you have those down (as BktBallRef and many others have done), you can worry about trying to get the block/charge call right, and other sitatuations that occur during the game. Otherwise, you will be so focused on the block/charge that you will likely miss a bunch of travels (many that occur just PRIOR to the contact on a block/charge) and other fouls.