Chicago Area Sectionals 3A and 4A
 

Went to two games this week while traveling on business in Chicago.

Trying to understand what it takes to officiate high level Boys V.

I saw a few things which I had questions about (with the proviso that I'm still a newer official and could not see what the refs saw):

1. Saw quite a bit of uncalled hand checking far away from the basket. I know it's a POE in Kansas this year. My question for the vets is how do you know when to call it?

2. Post play roughness. First game, I saw perhaps 5-6 instances when something should have been called. Again, how do you vets decide?

Couple of other things:
A. Gyms were as loud as any I've ever been in. Could never hear the horn.

B. Second game, one official was the spitting image of this guy. http://mimg.ugo.com/201101/4/6/7/162...ig_480x360.jpg

He also had a large splint and wrap on his left arm.

I've been doing Varsity ball for a couple of years, so I may not be the veteran that you are looking for, but here goes anyway:D

Hand-checking is generally pregamed: I've heard some of the crew chiefs say, "we're going to call anything that is two hands automatically", or "if they have that hand on their more than a couple of seconds we're calling it".

So while it may have been viewed as hand-checking the calling official may have decided it didn't disrupt the offensive player enough to warrant a call. At this time of year, I think some officials are trying to make only the calls that are substantial and needed. A couple of "ticky-tack' calls could put a star player on the bench and cost a team a chance for a championship.

That's a philosophical argument though.

Same with rough play: I have seen and I'm sure a lot of high school officials can agree that a lot of times, the offense is initiated a lot of contact and consequently we don't penalize the defense for the physical play. So we no call it.

Of course, without seeing the games, it's hard to say. but those are my general thoughts.

Hand checking, NFHS Style
 

The NFHS puts this out pretty much every year so obviously they don't feel we're getting right as often as we should. If we get them early, the kids figure it out. If they don't figure it out, they sit. Most figure it out.

My main thing is keep a defender's hands off the dribbler as much as possible. Once the kids realize that's what's being called, they adjust and IMO the game is much cleaner.

This is the bottom line. The officials you see on the court are mainly college officials. They are the ones chosen a high percentage of the time to officiate state tournanment games.

The work just enough game to be considered for the post season.

That's a good thing. I'd hate for them to act feminine, unless they were women, of course. :rolleyes:

It's called big boy basketball, especially with city teams

Where was the game or opponents??

If you saw the Simeon v Whitney Young game on Tue. at Argo HS, then you saw 11 D1 prospects on the floor with Coach K, Thad Matta, Tom Izzo, Bruce Webber, and the Mayor of Chicago (among others) in the house.....

In that game, your not blowing the whistle unless it was a "must get" foul. Your typical "high school foul" occurred every 4-5 seconds...pass on those and get the ones that matter.

btw, your picture of the official in question was spot on....hahahaha

I really don't think thats how NFHS wants the game officiated. When the players get to the college level, I agree this is a fine concept.

Not really in Illinois.

Who was it???

JM??

I don't think that blanket statement works in IL. Most officials that work late in the state tournament have worked enough both in the regular season and in past seasons to establish a good reputation and ranking. Also, on the flip side, as officials rise in the college ranks they are discouraged from working lower levels such as HS. There may be some officials in the state tournament that have also worked at the college level, but the state selection process and rankings do not include any mention of being able to work at higher levels.

They may not, but that's how games are officiated here, especially in the city and certain conferences.

11 on the floor? Whitney Young could have had eight out there and it still didn't matter

I'd like to think the powers that be at every level would like to see quality, meaningful whistles only. Some games they play through things that are clearly a foul in other games. Thats where our judgment comes into play.

1. Glenbard South: Crane vs. Wheaton-St. Franicis

2. Argo-Summit: Bogan vs. Marist

I can tell you with great confidence that most officials in Illinois that work the Boy's 3A or 4A players at the Sectional level are not "college officials." Knowing many of them personally in this area for sure, most work almost no college at all. And most lower level college officials work some level of high school in their schedule.

Also what kind of bothers me is when people make the claim about what is appropriate for "high school." The game is essentially the same. Actually I find that college officials call more than a high school only official because we have more philosophies that are followed for things to be called. I hear more high school officials trying to justify not calling "hand checking" than I ever hear a college official do. At the college level if you attend camps of any kind and listen to the NCAA tapes, there are many things they want us to call and "absolutes" are one of those reasons.

Most of all when the teams get to this level of the playoff, these are the good teams or teams that deserve to get to that level most often. So you might have teams being able to play through some contact that will not happen during the regular season. Kind of like was said, "This is big boy basketball" now. That being said if anyone would have come to my game on Tuesday, we called a lot of fouls to the point we were it the double bonus for at least one team both halves. And two of us were college officials. A lot of what you call is totally dictated by the teams you have. Heck if the put the ball on the hole most of the time we do not have to call fouls at all.

Peace

That explains some of it, the style of play of Bogan and Crane are both teams from the city and very athletic and pressure. Both Wheaton and Marist play in leagues that are often very physical as well and the teams are often more know for football. I had Wheaton in the Regional Championship and they beat another Chicago team for that title (game before the one you listed) in a low scoring affair. Wheaton appears to not be afraid of anyone and I am not surprised they won last night.

Peace

Ha Ha I reffed with guy you mentioned earlier this season. I see a little resemblance.

He was about 5'7??

yep....Jim M.

That's him.

My statement was for an educational purpose for me to gather how basketball is officiated in the state of Illinois. I have been educated by the responses. Thanks