2 man question, Trail kicks a GT and BI

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by roadking

Good boy JV game, a lot of tall athletic players. I'm lead in a half court set, partner has a goaltending in which everyone in the building including me thinks its a clean block off the glass, I have a good look, play came from my side, ball was on its way up. Partner tweets, hesitates and points as to call GT. He then wants to come to me and talk it over, I tell him as he steps toward me, its your call sell it. Later that half, I'm lead in a half court set, partner misses a obvious BI by the offense.
Question:
Partner had never called at this level of basketball, I know these are judgement calls the trail should have, would you guys of stepped in and corrected the GT and also would you of called the BI from the lead position?
THANKS

roadking,
So, you had two sets of eyes on the ball three feet above the rim. Which one of you saw the backside defensive rebounder elbow his opponent in the throat?

I won't ever step in on a blocked shot in this situation. I don't remember the last time I actually saw the ball hit the backboard on a shot as the lead. First of all, there is way too much stuff that could be happening below the rim in your primary -- especially if the players were as big as you describe. Secondly, if the ball had already contacted the backboard before the shot was blocked, goaltending is the right call more often than not (it is very possible that this block was legal, but the ball is typically fairly close to its maximum height by the time it hits the backboard -- especially if the players are big). Since this is, a judgment call, I would have left it alone.

As for the second one, I would likely have a similar view. But, I would need to have a visual of the play to say for sure. I don't look up toward the basket as a lead unless something unusual happens. For example, if I see a shot go up from the opposite side of the floor, I get to the optimal position for watching the rebound action. I expect the ball to be coming back into view within a given period of time (allowing for the ball to travel to the basket, bounce up off of the rim and then come down). If the ball has not come down and the players appear to be waiting for something, I can't help but take a peak. Generally, in these cases, the ball has gotten stuck on something up above. I can't imagine a situation in which I would be watching above the rim/on the cylinder to be able to make a BI call from the lead.

That being said, if your partner was completely overmatched for this level of game and you saw the BI (still not sure WHY you would have seen it based on your primary), as a coach I would be more understanding on this one (could have been one of those delay situations that I mentioned above). There is no way that I am going to wave the goaltending call off. This was clearly the partner's call, if the ball was above the rim when it got blocked (even if it MAY have still been on the way up), there is no way that I am making that call.