A first I did not want
 

I know this is a part of growing as an official but I had a first last Friday that I really wanted to avoid.

I had my first blarge.

It was during a freshman game while I was at trail. Dribbler drives in from outside the three point arc on my side, secondary defender slips into the paint, and stays rock still. Dribbler gathers, takes a step and levels the defender. Since the play came from my primary, I hit the whistle hard and come out with an offensive foul....just as my partner is signaling block.

$%&@

I didn't even hear his whistle.

I get together with him and confirm we're going double foul...he seems rather...lost but hesitantly agrees. I report the double foul to the table and mass confusion is unleashed. We sort it out and give the ball back to Team A for the throw-in.

At the half, I ask my partner what he saw. He had the defender turning his shoulders at contact. We simply saw it differently. I explained why I made the call, since it came out of my primary.

I screwed up in a couple of ways:

• I didn't pre-game this situation with my partner. I did ask if he had anything to pre-game and instead of taking his answer of "no", I should have persisted and gone over a few things.
• I didn't hear his whistle also and rolled right into the call. Not sure how to deal with this one. Perhaps hesitate a split second to make eye contact with my partner on these types of plays, even if I don't hear a whistle?

Thanks for letting me vent.

Ugh, I need a shower now. :mad:

Did the defender turn his shoulder away from the dribbler to prepare for imminent contact? If so, why did he go with a block? If the defender turned into the dribbler I can see block.

Ugh, your partner also has the rule wrong.

He didn't really say...not wanting to throw him under the bus but he and I did not exactly agree about what a defender with LGP was allowed to do.

For whatever reason, it's harder for L to hold the whistle than it is for T or C to hold the whistle.

Keep this in mind even if you don't have a pre-game.

I'm betting you didn't first raise your fist to indicate you had a foul. You went straight with the punch the other way.

Raising a fist, like you do for any other foul, usually will help you avoid this sitch. It causes you to "hesitate a split second to make eye contact with my partner." :)

Good advice Bob, thanks.

Tony, I know I did raise my fist but it was probably only long enough to roll into the PC foul signal. Good food for thought, thanks.

Why did A get the ball back? Not saying you did it wrong, just wondering. ;)

We went to the arrow... :D

Team A was still in possession when the whistles were blown.

Luckily For Me, No Blarges In Thirty Years, At Least Not Yet ...
 

I hate it when this happens.

Are you sure that is the right answer?

If team A was still in possession, wouldn't they get the ball via point of interruption? Go to the arrow if there was no team control (think shot released).

+1

Yep, and Welpe was joking about using the arrow. He knows better. ;)

You are a better man than I, Billy.

Yes, thank you. :)

Was this 2 whistle or 3 whistle?...

secondary defender?...in L's PCA?...

usually L's call in my pre-games.

Two whistle...would love to have three in a freshman game but we still have many districts where they only work two for varsity.

I'm good pre-gaming it either way really...assuming we DO pre-game it, which was one take away I have from this situation.

Generally how I was trained was that on this type of play for two whistle, the trail takes it if the play starts in his/her PCA (with no reference to primary/secondary defender).

Was the lead calling across the lane? Or had he crossed over?

Across the lane. If this were three whistle mechanics, the crash would've happened in the C's primary (in relation to the position of the lead).

Actually, hopefully the L would have crossed over. This play is a perfect example of the benefits of going ball side in 2 whistle, too.

Speaking three whistle, true hopefully the lead would have rotated over. I was speaking as if he had not. Essentially what I was trying to say was that the crash happened in the paint closer to me than him (not that it matters in 2 whistle since the entire paint is his).

Good point about going ballside in this situation. I do not remember exactly but I'm under the impression this play happened pretty soon after Team A got the ball into the front court (both teams were pressing quite a bit).

Copy...

We are fortunate enough here, that we have 3 whistle for all games above MS.

Someone mentioned (I think Bob) that we have a tendency to want to take this, if L, on these types of calls.

I agree...we use to say, "If the ball is coming TOWARDS you...it's your call."

We have evolved, as officials, but maybe this is still rattling around in some of our heads.;)

That must be nice. I'd be willing to work some 3 whistle at the subvarsity for a reduced fee just for the experience.

Not really. The guard could be moving his shoulders forward when the contact occurred.

Yep, based on the statement he was "turning his shoulders" at contact, one shoulder was likely moving towards the dribbler. Still a PC foul.

If the guard is moving towards the dribbler when contact occurs then the guard is responsible for the contact and it would not be a PC foul.

Most of the time, it would be, but not necessarily.

I'm not calling a block on a guard who has LGP but twitches forward a small amount just before a major collision.

Good. Just use it to slow yourself long enough to look.

Wonder if your partner raised his fist. :)

Twice today; thanks Camron.