Partner calls 48 fouls - I counted them

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.

Having said, when an official has off-ball coverage in his primary area there will be times when he will have to expand primary area to cover off-ball action (this concept is very important in two-man games but not as important in three-man games), but it should not be at the expense of missing something right in front of him.

My advice, is to let the game come to you. Don't go looking for boogers as we say in baseball. I have had two-man games where I had 10 of the first 12 fouls; it seemed like I was doing everything and my partner did not exist. It happens, and then I have had games where it seemed like nothing was ever going to happen in my area.

MTD, Sr.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.
Having said, when an official has off-ball coverage in his primary area there will be times when he will have to expand primary area to cover off-ball action (this concept is very important in two-man games but not as important in three-man games), but it should not be at the expense of missing something right in front of him.

My advice, is to let the game come to you. Don't go looking for boogers as we say in baseball. I have had two-man games where I had 10 of the first 12 fouls; it seemed like I was doing everything and my partner did not exist. It happens, and then I have had games where it seemed like nothing was ever going to happen in my area.

MTD, Sr.

AHEM! 2,3 & 4, maybe.

[dsqrddgd909]

[QUOTE=Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.;573173]Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.

QUOTE]

I understand the last two, but typical newbie that I am, don't understand the first one about "stay true to your line"?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

[QUOTE=dsqrddgd909;573222]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.

QUOTE]

I understand the last two, but typical newbie that I am, don't understand the first one about "stay true to your line"?

dsqrddgd909:

Worry about your boundary lines (and the division line if you are the T0 and not your partners; there are only a few rare cases where an official has to blow an out-of-bounds on his partner's line.

Nothing is more aggravating than to sound your whistle for an out-of-bounds on your own line and to hear your partner's whistle and calling the out-of-bounds too, especially if he is pointing the opposite direction you are, .

MTD, Sr.

[dsqrddgd909]

Thanks - when I become an official, I will try to put into practice all of the good advice offered here.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner. MTD, Sr.

Mark - as it says in another reply above, these are rules two, three and four. As I've stated numerous times, the first rule of officiating is "tuck your whistle in your shirt before you take a leak".