2 man mechanics

[oc]

My mentor was teaching me a mechanic that I found odd and couldn't confirm from the manual. Although I respect his experience, I want a second opinion on this.

He said if the ball low away from the L for more than 5 seconds or so the L should come strong side and the T cross across the court completing the switch. I agree with the first part and it is confirmed by diagram 10 on page 25 of the manual. But the part of the T crossing threw the middle of the court seems wrong. I don't want to be stuck in the middle of a fast break. However if that is what our association is doing I will.
Can anyone confirm if this is correct for the rest of the country.

FYI--HSFS mechanics

[mick]

Originally posted by oc
My mentor was teaching me a mechanic that I found odd and couldn't confirm from the manual. Although I respect his experience, I want a second opinion on this.

He said if the ball low away from the L for more than 5 seconds or so the L should come strong side and the T cross across the court completing the switch. I agree with the first part and it is confirmed by diagram 10 on page 25 of the manual. But the part of the T crossing threw the middle of the court seems wrong. I don't want to be stuck in the middle of a fast break. However if that is what our association is doing I will.
Can anyone confirm if this is correct for the rest of the country.

FYI--HSFS mechanics

oc,
I've never used this mechanic, but I have read of it being employed.
Usually the Lead will cross over to get closer in case help is needed, but will square up on the paint.

In your mentor's mechanic, my thoughts are that the Lead went over to help the Trail with the action of several players and somehow 'accepted/was given' the ball as his primary by squaring up on the ball.
If the Trail then bails out to balance the floor there must be some major player movement away from the Lead for the Trail to cross over the top to watch off ball.

I can see how the addition of this mechanic could be a useful tool to be used between partners who are really familiar with each other's philosophy.

mick

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by oc
My mentor was teaching me ... However if that is what our association is doing...

You should check, in a rather neutral way, what your association IS recommending. If everyone in your area does this, DO IT!! If this guy is living in La-La land, don't tattle, or embarrass him. You could ask your association rules interpreter, "I was watching this game where when the one ref went strong side, pretty soon the Trail scooted across the top of the key. Is that the preferred way to handle this?" You're not naming names, or accusing. Just getting info. He may say, "Oh, it was Spunky Jones, wasn't it? He always has done that, although we keep telling him not to.' OR "Of course that's best. Haven't you been paying attention in the pre-games we give?" OR "There's a time for that, but not in any games below the State Tournament level." Or whatever. Then you know what to work on next.

[canuckrefguy]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the scenario oc described is the "official" NCAA 2-person mechanic: as lead crosses for post play, trail also crosses. Not sure if this applies to NFHS, but I do know the FIBA 2-person is for the trail to stay put.

I personally don't see the advantage to the trail staying "diagonal" from the lead. If given the preference, I'd stay. My association does it this way. Most other associations I know of do it this way as well.

[JRutledge]

If I am not mistaken, this was once a mechanic at the NF level. At least I think it was before my career started. But this of course has since changed and is no longer used.

Peace

[JeffTheRef]

You're instinct is correct. You sure don't want to get caught in the middle of the floor, and there is no reason to.

What matters is where the ball is and where it's going to be. Ah yes, you can, and must, predict the future. Just as surely as you must ref the defense to have any idea of what happened, you should read the street, anticipate whether or not the ball will swing. You should know there's going to be a skip pass before the offense does.

If you come across, it should be because you need to to see the play. And because you feel you can still handle the weak side. If there is only an offense/defense pair on the strong (ball) side, hey, you better stay with the 8 sources of mayhem on your side.

In general, I would recommend that, as the lead, you stay out wide - about to the point of the 3-point line, and close in as necessary.

[mick]

Originally posted by JeffTheRef

In general, I would recommend that, as the lead, you stay out wide - about to the point of the 3-point line, and close in as necessary.

We teach officials to start parallel to the ball at Lead.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by oc
My mentor was teaching me a mechanic that I found odd and couldn't confirm from the manual. Although I respect his experience, I want a second opinion on this.

He said if the ball low away from the L for more than 5 seconds or so the L should come strong side and the T cross across the court completing the switch. I agree with the first part and it is confirmed by diagram 10 on page 25 of the manual. But the part of the T crossing threw the middle of the court seems wrong. I don't want to be stuck in the middle of a fast break. However if that is what our association is doing I will.
Can anyone confirm if this is correct for the rest of the country.

FYI--HSFS mechanics

I know that I am jumping into the debate kind of late, BUT!!

The bald old geezers out there like me will remember that we used to work Cadillac when officiating in a two-person crew (both NFHS and NCAA Men's/Women's). This meant that the while looking at the court from the S/T Table, when that ball was to the right of the Table, the Lead was opposite the Table and the Trail was Table side, and when the ball was to the left of the Table the Lead was Table side that the Trail was opposite the Table. When a throw-in anywhere on the court required the officials to set up opposite of that positioning the officials were considered to be in opposite of Cadillac (or using left-handed mechanics). There was a protocol for the officials to use to get back into Cadillac (which I will not go into here). The ironic thing about the protocol was that one will not find in any NFHS or CCA Two-person manual. Around 1985 or 1986, when ball side mechanics became the correct mechanics for two-person crews, Cadillac became incorrect.

Your mentor, is incorrect in trying to get you to move across the court, because that is and incorrect officiating mechanic and should not be used.

[oc]

Thanks for the input everyone.

The comments that this might have been an old mechanic or an NCAA mechanic make sense. Mentor has 18 years experience and was telling me that is how he was taught it by his mentor some years back. Our association switched from NCAA to NF this year and in my opinion some of the more experienced (old) refs in are association get confused and use the NCAA mechanics/rules. Since I am new and never really knew the NCAA mechanics/rules that well I don't have that problem.

Can anyone confirm if this is an NCAA mechanic or former NCAA mechanic?

FYI-I reffed 3 man girls HS with this mentor many times but this was our first 2 man together. (off season men alumni game). P pregamed that the game will probably be more physical than we are used to so we should use this mechanic. We never did use it in the game. I came over from the L a couple times as discussed but play ended before P could transfer over. P never initiated it when he was L.