Should have I pulled the trigger?
 

Background. This is my 3rd Varisty game and I am working with a very respected veteren official who does a great job. H team is leading by around 30 in the 4th when things start to go down hill. I signal a foul on a V1 who looks at me and says "on me?" to which I reply "yes". He then quite loudly says "no way!". I say "easy you don't want another one" He starts to turn and as he does gives me the brush off with his hand. I then call a technical. I tried to give him some rope but the no way was fairly loud and heard by some of the crowd and then he gave me the brush off. I report the T and the coach was upset saying they were getting it handed to them and basically I should cut the kid some slack since he didn't swear. I told him I gave him 3 chances.

A short time later V2 is taking the ball out of bounds following a basket by H and was upset that he thought he was fouled. He looked at me and said "fu**ing -------" I honestly don't even know what the second word was as I was giving him the T during it. I have some speculations on the word but I don't even think it matters.

I report the T and the coach wants to talk to me. He says "Listen guy, we are getting it handed it to us." I cut them off and said "I don't care if it is 100 to nothing he isn't going to direct the f bomb at me. Coach immediately turns around to get a sub.

My partner and I switch so I can administer the freethrows. Before I bounce the ball my partner whistles that we have a sub. I hold up. Just to the left of my partner but behind him V2, the kid I just gave the T to makes eye contact sticks his tongue agaist his cheek and puts his other hand up next to his face for the universal BJ signal. I am about to whistle him for his second tech but hold back as I didn't want to seem like I was a hot head rookie by giving him his second T from 70 feet away.

What are your thoughts on both T's and the almost T?

You were right. They can't talk like that. Could have tossed the kid, but I might have "not seen" the BJ sign, because the coach seemed to be taking care of it. However I would have supported you for tossing him as well.

If I'm doing that game he's gone.

No way a student/athlete gets away with that.

Good T.

Flagrant T.

With that gesture, I'd be thinking about forfeiting the game. No way this is appropriate, especially in an educational setting. In fact, I would hope my local board would enact a removal of services until a written apology is made and a suspension of 2 or more games. Short of the forfeit, a flagrant T.

I would've called a flagrant T at that point. Without thinking twice. You'll get there eventually.

No Brainers on Your Part
 

Report all this to proper authorities, for sure.
Coaches who rage against you for things they don't see at the time sometimes identify with your decision after reviewing video. We had a taunting T this past week that I know the coach didn't see himself but after reviewing our film which was taken from right next to the school camera operator, I know he'll see the reason for the call when he sees his film.
If all things happened as you describe, you were right on all counts with the exception of holding off on that last one. I've never seen that particular gesture, but it doesn't have much to do with educational athletics, I don't think.

Definitely send the kid to the locker room for the screaming f-bomb. Then he doesn't even have a chance to stick around and make a further jackazz out of himself.

I'd never send a kid to the locker room for an F bomb. Ever.

Eject ???
 

Are we allowed to "eject" high school basketball players? I thought that we were only allowed to "eject" adults?

"Hey kid - if you want to send a message to your boyfriend, wait until you're on the bench". :cool:

Correct. Adults are ejected from the venue, kids are DQ'd/ejected from the game to the bench.

We can if the kid continues to be a disruption, but I rank that up there with forfeiting the game on the list of things that only happen after I've tried everything else.

Or so I recall. Now that I'm thinking about it, I can't remember if this was a state rule or a Fed rule.

The techs you called were fine. It's always the ones we don't call that eat at us. I wouldn't have had a problem with calling the second on V2, even when I was in my early years. At that point, in the words of officials much smarter than me, he's telling you he doesn't want to be there anymore. Feel free to oblige him.

After that, as was mentioned, contact your assigner and your board and let them contact the school. They'll probably ask for a report and all you do is write "Player V2 received a flagrant technical for violating Rule 10-3-6b." If they as for more, tell them exactly what he did but keep emotions out of it.

Hi Jeremy! Do you think it would matter if the second word was a racial/sexual slur?

Yeah that would matter. I'm pretty sure it was bullsh*t or horsesh*t.

I've got a slightly different and apparently unpopular take on the first T. "A "no way" and a turning brush off in a 30 point game? I'm not going to argue with a T here but I may have handled it differently, especially if I can let the coach know that "#22 is being a d-bag, you may want to yank him or say something to him (not in those words)." And personally I don't like the "easy, you don't want another one" line b/c depending on the way it's delivered it easy for that to come across as a threat and get a negative reaction.

I'm not criticizing here just offering food for thought on perhaps handling this a little differently. And certainly not blaming you for Vs antics but maybe their frustration doesnt escalate if they don't get Td up late and down 30.

T #2 sounds easy.

The 3rd situation is a tough one for you b/c I can see how you don't want to come off as T happy so early in your career. But if he makes eye contact with you and you see that gesture you need to toss him without thinking twice. And in the report I'd take JetMet's advice and keep emotions out of it but do have all details ready and check your local listings for what they want in the initial report. Around here, if we issue a flagrant technical our assignor wants every single detail.

Sorry fellas - in FIBA, a disqualifying foul results in ejection from the game and the venue, should have clarified.

By rule, is it an automatic Flagrant Technical Foul for violating Rule 10-3-6b?

It is in 10-3-1 and 10-3-8.

Nope. In this case it would've been flagrant since it was V2's second T. However even if it was his first T for me it also would've been his last.

Terp, I agree with you here. This falls into "the less you say, the better" category. Saying nothing is probably the best thing since it won't elicit a response. Since I'm a "vet" (wow, I feel old) I might say "yep" and then move toward the table but I'm not getting into a back and forth with a teenager. It's probably the dad in me.

Of course, this doesn't excuse the kid giving the brush-off but it's a good point to mention to our young officiating friends.