3-point shot mechanic
 

NFHS rules (not that it matters), 2-whistle mechanics.

I was working with a guy last night who told me something I'd never heard before. He wanted Lead to put up a hand for a 3-point attempt in his area, and then have Trail pick it up and signal if the shot was good. Lead puts his hand down once Trail takes it, while the shot's in the air, and doesn't signal if it's good. His rationale was that Lead should stay with the shooter and not even see whether the shot went in.

I've never heard of this mechanic. In my world, Lead has 3-point responsibility on his side from the FT line down to the corner, and Trail has the 3-point circle the rest of the way around. Each signals on an attempt from his area, and signals if the shot is good. Trail mirrors Lead's signal for a good 3-point shot, but not vice versa.

What do you do?

I do what you do but I couldn't tell you if that's 100% correct. Someone will have a mechanics book quote for ya.

I was taught that the official signaling the attempt is also staying with the shooter until they land.
'Round here if the L marks it they also signal the successful 3 & the T mirrors that.

If the L is truly staying with the shooter, how would they know if the T picked it up???

I prefer the L to mark & the T not pick up anything except off ball coverage then mirror the L successful.
It looks goofy to have both officials with their hands up on the attempt. If they both have that shooter, who has the other 8 players???

Don't have a FED manual in front of me but I sure don't do what that "guy" told you.

You and I must live in the same world. :) Does this mean we also live in the same world as Nevadaref? :eek:

I do it by the book, but I've worked with guys who do it as your recent partner does. When such a partner is at the Lead, I let him do his mechanics as he wishes. When I'm the Lead, I do it how I believe that it should be done.

The problem with his concept is that it necessitates that the Trail official look at the Lead for his indicator. This is obviously takes the Trail's eyes out of his PCA and there is no reason for the Trail official to be looking over there because the Lead has to be on-ball with a try coming from his primary or he wouldn't be giving a 3pt indicator now would he? And we all know that when the Lead has the on-ball coverage that the T had better be looking off-ball, especially in 2-man, and observing the players contesting for weakside rebounding position or someone is going to lose some teeth. Once the players understand that you aren't watching them, there sure to be problems.

The mirroring of the touchdown signal by the Trail is done after the ball has gone through the basket and the players have ceased to battle for position, and is done merely as an aid to the scorer to help him see the signal. The mechanic system isn't designed for the officials to be signaling back and forth to each other during the course of play when they are supposed to be watching the players in their respective primaries.

Egad, it does. :(

Excellent post. :)

And I was typing before the first response was even posted. ;)

When working with just two officials, if the lead signals first and then the trail signals as well, it's fine for the lead to drop the 3-point attempt signal. No need to have both officials signaling.

True, but that usually happens when the try is taken from near the intersection of the primary coverage areas.

It's not done as a matter of practice with all 3pt tries.

I always pregame this with my partner. As Trail, I'll only copy the Lead's "good" signal after a made 3 pointer if it's in his area. I don't copy him marking the shot. If I'm the Lead and I see the Trail mark the shot, I'll drop my hand and watch rebounding action. I guess this is exactly what mbyron does as I read his OP again.

I was working a camp the other day and several times when I was Trail, my partner would mark the attempt as Lead when the ball was out at the wing, only 6-8 feet from the top of the key. I'm not really sure what he was watching (Not his area, that's for sure), as it wasn't even close to free throw line extended.

When that happens, who has the shooter... the L who gave it up or the T who's 30-50 feet away??

On a 3-point shot, the shooter will, unless they have an 8'+ vertical leap, have long since landed by the time the shot goes in (or not). There is no reason in 99% of the cases for the lead to still be with the shooter by the time the ball gets to the basket. The "shot" will be over, the defender will have either have backed off or will have flown by the shooter. Only in a rare case (e.g., a rough box-out) is there a chance of a play that the lead needs to stay there. They need to shift to covering strong side rebounding.

I agree with you that the player won't be airborne by the time the ball reaches basket, most of the time.

I think he meant the L stays with the shooter as opposed to tracking the flight of the ball.

I'm sure we've all seen it happen :) It just clues me to expand my primary, because all he!! will break loose when that shooter gets knocked to the ground & there's not a whistle.

Something similar in NJ...
 

Here in South Jersey, we are trained as Trail to notice the Lead's "3" signal, but not to mirror the signal... if the attempt is good, T is to signal the made basket. Truth be told, I'm not sure if this is an IAABO, NFHS or local mechanic.

My understanding of the rationale for this is the L has the shot in front of him in his primary and signals. L's responsibility is to bring the shooter down, T closes down on the shot and can see the signal in his peripheral vision while observing any action underneath. Even if I'm trail and haven't seen the original signal, L is supposed to keep his signal up until T signals the made goal. I try to take a quick look after the shot goes in just to make sure, because there is sometimes a lot of action in front of L as well as a lot of jostling going on underneath, which is my (T) responsibility.

Anybody know which organization can claim this mechanic? I kind of like it. Signalling a made 3 from L's signal makes me feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do- and I always try to make eye contact with the table on this play.... just in case.

Z