was that travelling?

[ABC Coach]

Forgive me...this might be elementary to all of you, but I'm just making sure I'm up to speed on this. Yesterday I was reffing and called a travel. I ended up having to eject the player because he wouldn't shut up about how bad my call was. Tell me if I kicked this or not.

He was heading towards the basket for a lay up. He gathered the ball for what would normally be a shot for goal. He took his two steps (I realize it's a pivot foot and one step...but you know what I mean) and then out of the corner of his eye, he saw a defending about to block the shot. The player then stopped, waited for the defender to fly by, and then shot the ball. I called a travel because a shot for goal didn't follow him taking those steps. Did I make the right call?

Forgive me if this unclear...this is the best I can do to explain what happened. Thanks for any advice.

[Jurassic Referee]

As long as the pivot foot never came back down, it was legal. From your description though, I'd be hard-pressed to believe that it didn't on this play. It's hard as hell...to the point of being almost impossible imo... to stop in mid-drive and balance yourself on a non-pivot foot. The usual scenario in a drive is jumping off the non-pivot foot and shooting before the pivot foot again lands. From your description, it sounds like the shooter let his pivot foot land to let the defender fly by.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by ABC Coach

I called a travel because a shot for goal didn't follow him taking those steps.

Contrary to popular belief, "a shot for goal following" does not keep anything from being traveling.

[Adam]

And even if you did kick it, players have to play. They don't get to critique the officials.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

And even if you did kick it, players have to play. They don't get to critique the officials.

I always tell players and coaches, "Question anything you like, as long as you're civil about it." A question is not necessarily a critique.

Having said that, ABC, I need some clarity from your play. You mentioned "a pivot foot and a step," but did that pivot foot leave the floor and return to the floor?

To paraphrase Jurassic a little, if the pivot foot left the floor and came back down, it's a travel, unless he jumped off that pivot foot and landed on both feet simultaneously ("jump stop"). Did any of this happen?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by bainsey

I always tell players and coaches, "Question anything you like, as long as you're civil about it." A question is not necessarily a critique.

And they'll question anything all night long. To paraphrase Jurassic a little , a better idea might be to say "if you have a specific question on the rules, feel free to ask it. I'll answer it when I get a chance."

The idea is right but you're a little too open-ended on it. You don't want to give them the idea that they can question anything and everything all game long.

Jmo.....

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

The idea is right but you're a little too open-ended on it. You don't want to give them the idea that they can question anything and everything all game long.

On the contrary, I've been using that line during pre-games for a few years now, and I have fewer problems when using it.

The message isn't, "complain about anything you like." The message is, "I'm willing to listen, but you have to keep your cool." No-one has abused it yet.

[btaylor64]

Originally Posted by ABC Coach

Forgive me...this might be elementary to all of you, but I'm just making sure I'm up to speed on this. Yesterday I was reffing and called a travel. I ended up having to eject the player because he wouldn't shut up about how bad my call was. Tell me if I kicked this or not.

He was heading towards the basket for a lay up. He gathered the ball for what would normally be a shot for goal. He took his two steps (I realize it's a pivot foot and one step...but you know what I mean) and then out of the corner of his eye, he saw a defending about to block the shot. The player then stopped, waited for the defender to fly by, and then shot the ball. I called a travel because a shot for goal didn't follow him taking those steps. Did I make the right call?

Forgive me if this unclear...this is the best I can do to explain what happened. Thanks for any advice.

It doesn't matter if u got it right or wrong from a player's behaviorial standpoint. I just want to know how you handled him? Did you try and ignore the player, talk to him, etc?