"Pinch the Paint" or "Stay Wide"?
 

I notice with NCAAM that the lead stays much wider than they ask us to in NFHS. We are taught to "pinch the paint". They stay much wider, away from the lane, when ball is in the middle.
I can see the benefit of that, especially when the assumption is that center will take the calls in his half of the paint (which high school crews in our area need to get better at).
I've checked out past threads discussing what is better and why and what many of you prefer, but I am interested in the answer to this question: The lead "staying wide, away from the lane" -- is that an officially mandated college mechanic, or just something many of their officials do?

I think officials do all kinds of things they are taught or they by into that works. I do not see what you describe as anything special to college officials. For one many HS officials are also college officials. And what is often taught at a camp might be a personal preference to what works for that person. I was taught to back up or stay wider, but I believe I first heard that at a HS camp. Actually I was told to pinch the lane by a college official at a college camp recently. I do not even think this is about the level as much as it is about the camp, clinician or individual that might think one way is better than the others.

Peace

I'm only pinching the paint if the ball is weakside or there is a drive coming down the middle to far side of the lane.

I just finished a camp today and was paying attention to my positioning in the Lead.

LIAR !!!!!

You were payin attention to all of those good lookin assistants this weekend at BWSL.......:D:D:D

As were you, or so it would seem!:):cool:

They were no good-looking ACs or HCs this past weekend unless you consider Danny Manning or Coach K good looking. ;)

Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Fwiw
 

I forwarded my original question to, amongst others, a respected camp clinician and D1 official. I was edified by his answer. For what it may be worth to you, here his response:

I observed many high school games this past season and was consistently troubled with our movement at the Lead position. We talk about "mirroring the ball" and "getting to close down position" and "pinching the paint" in all our mechanics talks, however, this movement needs to happen when the ball is on the perimeter. Too often, I saw Lead officials in the "close down" position when the ball was in the post on the strong side of the court. This puts the Lead in a very disadvantage position to referee post play. When the ball is entered to the strong side post, the Lead needs to stay wide in order to referee between the offensive player and the primary defender. When the ball is entered to the weak side post, the Lead should have already been in close down position at least, more likely he would be rotating through to the other side of the court.

Drives to the basket are more difficult since they can happen when the ball is in a position on the perimeter that might put us in close down or pinch the paint positioning. If a drive develops when I am in these positions I simply move to maintain position to referee the defense at the point of contact. This can be different for each play depending on where the drive originates and where the defender is coming from to help.

Today's Word: Forte ...
 

Hey Freddy? Was this on your Word of the Day calendar?

That's going to depend on the relative positions of the post players. Sometimes closing down will give you the better look between the players. (I agree that being in the paint probably won't.)

"Edified"? No. "Methylchloroisothiazoninone" was. Apparently that's the artificial agent in shampoo that makes it "sham", otherwise you guys with hair would be washing your heads with real "poo." :D

Can't wait 'til tomorrow. Word for the day is "oblique" then. :confused:

We can use your word of the day to discuss LGP plays. :D