Interesting BJV Game Last Night
 

Two big schools and the BV Teams are 1-2 in the conference. I knew this was scheduled as a 2-man game, and I was going to be running! Haven't had many V or JV games this year that have been very competitive, so I was looking forward to this one. These two JV teams could easily match up with many of the smaller Varsity teams and run them right out of the gym. I'm R tip, catch, kid jumps from the back court for a pass, over the back call that quick. In bound ball 1 pass alley-oop dunk. Maybe 20 sec are off the clock. I am a pretty fit guy and I was really looking forward to half-time at the end of the second quarter. These kids ran the hell out of us. We worked a lot of strong side, and were able to get the big stuff. Home coach kept asking for an illegal screen that may very well have been there. My response was we are working hard, if you want that call made more consistently you need a 3rd official. These kids deserve it, and I would take less money to officiate it. Varsity coach sitting next to him nodded his head yes. I remember back in the old days when working a game like this was the norm (early-mid 90’s). Maybe the players weren’t quite as athletic, and the style of play was different. How much better officiated a game is with the 3rd official is blatantly oblivious when working a game like this. Maybe all those calls coaches told me I was missing back in the 90’s were all true! Dammit….:(

we work all our varsity games as a 3 man crew.

In 1999, our board took a cut in pay ( $10 per man ) to work 3 man. So we went from making $55 a game to $45, but a 3 man crew. Stayed there for 3 years and got a small raise. But the goal was achieved. All Varsity assignments are 3 man. Now we get $65 a game.

It might be worth it to your board to try this, a small cut, but all games 3 man, more assignments for the board and better coverage on the floor.

All Varsity games are 3-man here as well (my post may have been mis-leading, see the title), its the BJV games that I am lobbying to get 3 man. One, this a great way for younger officials to get some good 3 man experience. two, the level of play in this league can clearly support that. The conference is assigned by a guy in the association. If you want in, you have to go to his camp. I am new to the area, and clearly have not. Also, he only assigns the Varsity games. All the sub-varsity is assigned by the AD's. I will kept beating the drum, maybe someone will listen.

It sounds like you were hustling which is a good thing. However i would never tell a coach his team deserves to have 3 officials. What your essentially telling him is you don't feel you and your partner can call the game properly. Never give that impression!! AFAIK, JV basketball has always been, is currently and for the forseeable future is 2 man. Officials, assignors, coaches and players all know this. Keep hustling, coaches may not directly indicate it but they do appreciate officials who hustle and work hard. The over the back call he wants is just that, he want a call for his team. They do that in 3 man!!

Even though I prefer a third official there is very little reason why 2 officials cannot call a majority of games. Yes, some calls get missed, but what's the guarantee that the third official will catch these. I would also never tell a coach that we are working hard but would love a third official to help us out. The coaches many times act like the third official anyway.

I'm R tip, catch, kid jumps from the back court for a pass, over the back call that quick. In bound ball 1 pass alley-oop dunk. Maybe 20 sec are off the clock.

The coach didn't want a call. I got the call correct. I was stating the fast paced nature and athletic plays 20 sec into the game.

My response was we are working hard, if you want that call made more consistently you need a 3rd official. These kids deserve it..

Your point is well taken, but we can agree to dis-agree on this one. I haven't by any means made this statement in any of my other games. I felt it was apporpiate at the time, and well recieved. We recieved compliments from both JV and V HC's on our way out. I was asked for my personal information on the way out by the V team. Stars aligned and we all brought our best game.

I never said we needed a third official, I merely stated "if you want those calls made more consistantly, you should hire a third official"

I've made comments along these lines when umpiring baseball games as a single umpire, particularly when coaches argue a tag on the backside of the bag or something that is just literally impossible to be 100% on when you're by yourself. However, something doesn't feel right about saying it during basketball. Maybe because as you stated here, many games are officiated with 2 referees, it wasn't long ago 2 was the norm on varsity games, it's happened just this year in a division one game due to injury, and even the NBA didn't use 3 until 1988 (yes I had to google the year but I knew it was relativley recent). As much as we know things are missed with one less referee it isn't something I like to openly admit.

Frankly, I can't imagine why not. There are areas of the court that cannot be adequately covered with only 2 officials. There's no reason to pretend otherwise. There's a reason why 3 is the norm for V and above: the 2 man system doesn't work well enough for these games.

We have went to 3-man JV for all but maybe one or two schools in our district. Has been that way for 6 years for the better paying schools, cheaper schools took a few years to get there.