Need Advice
 

I'm still relatively new to basketball (but not officiating).

I've officiated other sports long enough to have a good sense of my strengths and weaknesses.

One of my biggest problem areas in basketball is I'm missing things that are happening in the paint when I'm working lead in 2 man. Yesterday I had 3 rec games (11th and 12th grade) and missed a tipped pass that went out of bounds and a deflected dribble that went out off of a foot. Both right in the paint, fairly crowded with bodies.

I do tend to stand near the baseline so I'm wondering if I'm narrowing my field of view by being too close to the players. Perhaps I could back off the b'line.

I would appreciate any suggestions for improving my ability to see the game from lead in 2 man.

I don't seem to have this problem in trail.

Thanks,

It sounds like the game is moving too fast for you right now. I do not think there is anything that you can do if you are missing a simple out of bounds violation other than not standing so close. But that is hard to tell based on what I am reading from you. I would think you just need to see more plays and get used to the speed of the game. I am a multiple sport officials too and basketball tends to move much faster and more things are going on for an extended period of time. Basketball is something that just takes time to get used to (for anyone, not just an official from another sport).

Peace

Move off the baseline and away from the lane line. Wider is better.

You can't see everything. Those plays are common....ask for help from your partner. Some gyms won't allow you enough space to get a better or wider look from the lead.

This is a good lesson to learn. When I initially started reading your post I thought, you need to back away from the lane to see a wider view.

I generally will start out by the 3 pt line and move in or out depending on where the play is. If there is room at the end I will also back off the line 2 ro sometimes 3 steps as well. It does help to see what is happening.

Another tip I find useful, if you find yourself reaching for calls across the key and maybe even into your partners area, just start stepping back towards the 3 pt line. This helps to refocus on where your primary should be.

Good Luck

If someone is holding the ball in the paint, or in the process of shooting, watch the ball and the top half of the bodies, waist up. If the ball is loose in the paint, watch the ball and the middle or lower half of bodies. If your focus is in these areas, your overall vision is more likely to notice the last touch of the ball before the oob.

Hey Blue!
 

I'll offer a couple of thoughts.

With bodies in the paint you are probably focusing on illegal contact. This is a good thing to be focusing on here.

As lead you are responsible for calling your line. You don't (and won't) always have to know who the ball went out on. Raising your hand and looking to your partner for help is always an option. Even if you make a call, if you think there was a possible tip in there, check them (as you move into position to administer) to see if they have some knowledge that you don't.

Players have 'cooties' -- don't get too close. Try to stand back far enough to see the whole play. Not all gyms will allow you to get the look that you want, but fight for what you can get.

Experienced official with 'Blue' in the name... I'd rely on that 'other' experience -- fight to get the angle you need to officiate the play. You know when you have it, and boy, you know when you don't.

Don't be too hard on yourself because you missed a tipped pass, etc. There is rarely a game that goes by that I don't have to ask one of my partners for help on an out of bounds play. It's good that you are striving for perfection; just don't expect that you'll get there every time you go on the floor. Two sets of eyes simply can't be expected to get a good look at 10 players and the ball every time down the floor. It isn't possible.

That being said, you've already gotten some great advice in the prior posts. Get back off the baseline, and I'm talking 2-3 feet back. Stay wide where you can. Most importantly, relax. You'll feel like you are able to see more when you are relaxed as opposed to when you are tense.

Oh, I almost forgot. Start lobbying for 3-person crews. It's a different game with 3 of us out there.

I don't know if your age group plays above the rim, but while you should be aware of what's going on high, your partner at trail should be able to focus more on rebounding, which is when most tipped balls happen. This is something you can go over in pre-game.

Getting wide is definitely good advice. As was said earlier, as time goes by your eyes will be more accustomed to what your focus should be on, based on the situation.