Hello-

I was hoping someone could give me the basics of 3-man mechanics. I just found out that my games tonight are with a 3-man crew, and I would like to know a few things before getting to the school. I also am reading up in the mechanics book, but would like someone to give me the following information.

1. Basics of 3-man rotation
2. Free Throw Rotation
3. Who Chops (starts the clock)
4. Jump ball formation
5. Beginning of half/quarter formation

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!

Thanks!
Jim

1. Basic Rotation
- don't rotate till the ball settles below the free throw line extended on the opposite of the floor when you are lead. The lead initiates ALL rotations. You need to glance back in transition to confirm if you are the new lead or center official.

2. Free Throw Rotation
- just like two man, if you are calling official you go opposite table and the official you are displacing takes your place.

3. Chop the Clock
- U1 chops the clock and has the home team during warm-ups.

4. Jump Ball
- U1 is tableside with the table on your left and the division line in front of you and U2 is just the opposite.

5. Beginning of half/quarter
- Just like a full time out, you are on the blocks if you are not the one distributing the ball. (30 sec TO you are on the top of the key)

Hi Jim, welcome to the board. Glad you found us. I can give you a few pointers, but they are based on NCAA men's mechanics. If you will be using NCAA women's mechanics, or if you are using NFHS mechanics or NBA mechanics, then my comments may not be correct.

99% of the time, the Lead official initiates the rotation. Lead will move to the opposite side of the floor when the ball settles on that side of the floor around the FT line extended or below. The old Center official steps back toward midcourt and becomes the Trail, while the old Trail official steps to the FT line extended and becomes the new Center official.

Quote:

2. Free Throw Rotation

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here. Anytime a foul is called, the calling official switches with the official that was opposite the table. If FTs are being shot, that means the calling official always becomes the Center official. The center official indicates the number of FTs, counts the 10-seconds for the FT and chops the clock if the last FT is unsuccessful. The Lead administers all FTs and then backs out of the FT lane to the table side of the floor.

To start the game, the U1 (table side) chops the clock when the ball is legally tapped. On an unsuccessful FT, the Center official chops the clock. In all other situations, the official responsible for administering the throw-in chops the clock.

Quote:

4. Jump ball formation

Tossing official (usually the R) stands at midcourt facing the table. U1 stands at the 28' line table-side and is responsible for jumpers and toss. U1 also chops clock. U2 stands at 28' line opposite the table and is responsible for all 8 non-jumpers.

Tossing official (usually the R) administers the throw-in at midcourt, opposite the table, and will be the Trail official. The other officials go where the R tells them to.

Hope that helps!

Chuck

thanks for the help
 

thanks for the help. i'm doing my best to visualize what you were telling me. Now, could you (in a nutshell, laymans terms) tell me floor responsibility for each man.

Lead
Center
Trail

THANKS AGAIN!

Jim

Let's assume you're doing a HS game, and using NFHS mechanics:

Chuck's post pretty much covers it, but if 3-person is new to you, keep these thoughts in mind:

1. Don't get so caught up in mechanics and rotations that you forget to officiate the game. Nobody cares where you're standing, or if it was out of your primary, if you miss a call.

2. After a foul, let your dance partners lead you, and go to the empty spot.

3. You WILL have double whistles, and WILL call out of your primary. Don't worry so much about it tonight.

4. As the lead, try to rotate as much as possible early in the game. You ideally want two officials on ball side. (It's why there are 3 officials.) It'll also help you get into a groove with your partners, and hopefully get you more comfortable.


That's plenty for you to think about...have fun.

by the way, all of this relates to High School rules
 

if that makes a difference... i'm not sure if it does or doesn't.

http://www.iaabo105.org/mechanics.html

This should help, it has two and three man

another thought to consider:

As the Center official, early in the game, look for a illegal screen or a rebounding foul on the offense.

Get one of those early, and you'll:

1. Break the ice with your first whistle
2. Establish to your partners and coaches that you're in the game
3. help set the tempo for the players

good luck and let us know how things went...

So...
 

...how did it go?

It went great....
 

Thanks for asking. The two officials I was working with were very helpful and made sure to point me in the right direction. Your advice was good to concentrate on making calls instead of focusing on mechanics and where I should be.

The center position is interesting. Definitely a different perspective than working 2 man. The games went well, no major problems, and I didn't look like a rookie. That's half the battle. Now, if I could only remember to blow my whistle lowder...(thinking about too many things at the same time, I guess)

Once again, thanks for the advice.

Jim

Re: It went great....
 

Glad it went well for you. I prefer 3-person to 2-person and IMHO, the center "usually" has the most responsibility -- as far as coverage is concerned.

Good to hear you had a good experience for your first three person outing. As you gain more experience you'll come to realize and definitely hear over and over again, that if the Center position has a strong game, you should have a smoothe game. To me the center position makes the three person system great. If Trail and Lead will let Center do his/her job, it will take out all the guess work.

I have noticed that when I am at Trail or Lead and I think I saw something across the paint and call it, Center will usually ask me what I saw, and then tell me that what I thought saw didn't happen. This is usually backed up on tape as well.

Three person lets you work with the confidence that if you don't see it, you don't have to call it. Unlike two person sometimes you get screened and end up having to call some things that look like fouls that may or may not be fouls.

Are you kidding?
 

I'm not trying to sound sarcastic, but I can't believe that an organization would put an official in that predicament. I officiate in NYS and no way is an official going out to do three man without some clinic or training beforehand. We use two person throughout the season but go to three person for Sectional semis and finals. The schools dictate that we only use officials that are trained in three person mechanics. If the officials that are chosen for the semis or finals are not trained in three person, we provide a clinic beforehand to at least give them the basics, similar to the questions you are asking. This job is tough enough without throwing someone out there who has never worked three person before.

i respect your opinion
 

but, in this case, everything worked out just fine. although i never worked a 3-man game, i've been around basketball all my life and felt very comfortable on the court. despite this being my first year as a licensed official, i've worked as many games as i possibly could, and have gained a lot of experience, working with a lot of great officials.

the only thing i was concerned about with 3-man is where i should be on the court, and what was my primary/secondary responsibility. the game is still the same. the rules are the same. the calls are still the same.

in fact (and feel free to disagree), i think that it was much easier to go from 2-man to 3-man, than it would have been to go from 3-man to 2-man.