Wanted to give a T
 

Red team down by 9 and player hits a 3 point shot. Red now down 6 pts. I was trail on tableside and I didn't immediately hear the red coach yell for a timeout because crowd was cheering and announcer was commenting on the basket. I grant the red team timeout but after about 2 seconds ran off the clock. There is now 5.1 seconds on the clock. He does a slight stare down on me, flips his clipboard back on one of the chairs and says "Jesus" very sarcastically. I know that isn't considered swearing in this day and age but I still consider that inappropriate. I wanted to give a T for the stare and the clipboard flip but I just reported the timeout because I didn't want a T to decide the game. Did I do the right thing?

IMHO ... you "want" too much. You should not "want" a T to decide (or not to decide) a game. Too many people consider calling a T as a different act from calling a foul. It's not. Call the game. If his stare-down warranted a T (I doubt it did ... but this is your call, not mine) - then call it. If his flipping of a clipboard in anger warranted a T (after the stare - I'm thinking it did, but again, it's your call) - then call it. If him giving you the name of his favorite deity warranted a T (especially in addition to the other two acts), call it.

Don't fail to call it because you didn't want it to decide the game any more than you would fail to call a travel because you didn't want it to decide the game.

If coach decides to get a T with his team down 6 and 5.1 seconds remaining - that's on him. HE cost his team the opportunity to somehow finish this miracle comeback --- not you.

PS - it's not the swear word (usually) that warrants a T (imho) - it's the manner, the attitude, etc - and it's who it's directed at.

I should rephrase. I don’t "want" to give technicals. I call the game as I see it and I feel his vocabulary and his gestures were all directed towards me. I'm a first year official and I have never been in this situation, and just looking for the feedback. You're right, I should be careful about the "want".

First, Ts generally call themselves. If he's going to get one for unsporting behavior - regardless of time or score - let it be one that Stevie Wonder would've been able to call from the last row (as my mentors would say).

Second, it's on us to remember time and score in that spot. His team is trying to make a comeback and scores. A glance to his bench after the ball goes through the hoop to see whether he's requesting TO solves the issue. We all miss TO requests at times due to noise but the noise itself isn't the reason. I doubt it's because the gym was quiet and all of a sudden the noise level went to 110 decibels. If we glance and he's not making the TO request immediately then it's on him.

Learning experience for you -- did you look immediately at the coach when the 3 went through the hoop? No? Why not?

Situation awareness is important.

If I were that coach, I'd be frustrated, too, BTW.

I watched the video and he is standing with his hands in his pockets, in the middle of the bench, calling for a timeout. It looks like he is calling towards his players. He then looks at me and signals for a 30 second timeout. Yes, the crowd and the announcer drowned out his voice and he made no gestures immediately after the basket.

I do admit I should have looked towards the bench and I didn't. Rookie mistake. After watching the video I still don't know if I would have immediately granted a timeout because I couldn't hear him or see him make any signal that he wanted a timeout.

If he's not getting your attention, it's on him. But you shouldn't have to have watched the video to tell us that -- tells me you weren't looking there when it happened in real time. Or your partner -- this is one situation where ALL officials need to be looking at the bench.

We had a game winning shot go through with 1.5 seconds left last night. ALL officials had the timeout after the basket, we were all expecting it. We had to put time back on the clock, though, since the timer let the clock run out.

Then the second part of my last post applies: that's on him.

Something else to consider: I'm assuming this is a 2-person game. One of you has to be standing tableside and either near (the L) or in front of (the T) his bench. As Rich said, be ready for it.

Another point regarding his actions: I'm not saying if he questions your birth or heritage quietly while you're standing next to him that he shouldn't get whacked but if he's being "visual" let it call itself.

Years ago we had coach who was in a similar situation. Luckily, I'm on a first-name basis with this coach and my explanation was "tell the refs ahead of time that you're going to request a TO {in certain situations}". This will remind them to look at you when you want the TO.

Yes, in the OP it would have been nice to look at the coach. If the coach owns the situation, (s)he can have the refs understanding end of game scenarios to his/her liking.

I don't doubt any of what you're saying. I'm sure your partners also didn't see or hear the coach requesting a timeout.

When the huddle broke, I would have said something to the effect "Coach, I know you are looking for a timeout, help us out by being more vocal or visual so it's easier for us to see and hear you." And then I would have gotten out of there.

I definitely learned to look towards the bench from now on. I remember thinking to watch for a foul after inbound pass and I never thought to look or listen for the coach.

After awhile, you get a feel for when a coach might want to call a timeout (late in a close game, a-la your situation; when the opponent is in the middle of a run; etc)... in those situations, take a quick glance over at the bench after a made basket. Don't make it more than a quick glance though... if the coach isn't immediately motioning/calling for a timeout, get back to watching the playing action.

Like others have said, if the coach doesn't get our attention quickly/sufficiently enough; that's on the coach.

Kind of related funny. Was refereeing a volleyball match a couple of weeks ago. Had a better team suddenly give up a 6 point lead. I glanced over - nothing. Next point, they are down 1. I glance over, nothing. Next point, they are now down 2. I glance over and the coach happens to be looking my way - we make eye contact and you could see her brain go from "Why are you looking at me?" to "Oh crap, I should be calling a timeout here." And she called a time out.

I know a lot of people, myself included, who consider THAT swearing, without question. For basketball purposes, though, I'd consider that a Roman Law thing.

Then again, the Romans killed Jesus, but I digress.

I consider it swearing as much as if the coach cried out, "Flying Spaghetti Monster!"

Heathen. :p

In a situation like that one thing I do if I happen to be the trail or the center and in front of their bench is hover around close to him. This way there's a better chance to hear or catch a time out call right away. But you must look toward him, especially in a noisy gym that has bad accoustics.

Did he slam the clipboard down? If he did that coach earns himself a T from me no matter what the game situation is. It's one thing to dispute, challenge and try to work us for calls, that is expected. But slamming a clipboard is disrespecting us. We are not second class citizens and should never tolerate that kind of childish behavior. .

He didn't slam it down. He just threw it across his body to a nearby seat that was away from the floor. The more I watch the video I realize I was closer to him than I thought and a quick glance over and I would have realized he wanted a timeout even though he didn't signal. I definitely learned something from this scenario.

This. He decided, not you. That being said, you are a first year official and you learned a valuable lesson about game awareness. There are those who say game awareness is not our problem. The coach needs to be more vocal, etc. Yep. Him being more vocal would have helped, but game awareness is so important. In that spot, when the ball tickled twine my eyes as trail go to the clock, then immediately to the coach. Visiting coach? This may be a time back on the clock situation ;) Home team calls TO in that spot, the clock is probably already stopped! ;) game awareness.

I agree...

And for the record, if a coach tosses/flips/throws/slams his clipboard after staring me down-it is gonna be automatic-and 100% his fault that he got the T. Coaches can get frustrated and be intense without showing the officials up and/or looking like a jackass.

Next time maybe he will control his emotions. But the way you described this situation, regardless of whether or not you were looking for the t.o. (Which you should make a habit of in the future IMO) is extremely unsportsmanlike and getting a T in my book.

At what point of the game should I be glancing towards the benches? With 1 or 2 minutes remaining?

Walk A Mile In Another Man's Moccasins ...
 

It could be in the first period. When the other team goes on a 10-2 run. When the other team begins to press and his kids' seem confused. Just pretend that you're the coach, put yourself in his shoes, and decide when he, or you, would request a timeout.

Time doesn't matter - you'll get a feel for game awareness as you go. You'll sense when coaches are likely to want a timeout.

But with a minute or less left (or after a team has started fouling to stop the clock ... or at any point after that first timeout in crunch-time), start expecting the timeout. That said ... the 1 or 2 seconds they gain from you looking over is probably going to only be critical inside a minute - and more critical as you get closer to the end. I don't think anyone's going to go clipboard throwing if their timeout was at 1:56 instead of 1:58. Maybe not even 0:56 vs 0:58. But 0:08 vs 0:06 - probably.

I would also remind the coach that he has 5 players on the court who can request a TO AND who are used to listening for his voice. Any of the players can get right in front of you and request the TO. This is especially pertinent in a loud gym.

While I agree that you should be situationally aware, requesting a TO is on him.

No offense, but this attitude / mindset just doesn't cut it. With the rules as they are and with the expectation that top officials be situationally aware, it's ON US to be aware and expecting a request. No excuses.

Another poster put it correctly, imagine what you would do if you were in his shoes. A coach with basketball sense would want a time out right away!! You being a first year official just learned what to do and how it works. Next time you'll do it right!! But I must say based on the coach flinging his clipboard and staring you down I'd have T'd the guy up.

I disagree. We should be aware of situations where a coach might want a TO, but it is the coach's responsibility to get our attention if they want a TO. Not the other way around.

I have had plenty of games that were so loud you could not hear anyone and I have had plenty of players run up to me at the coach's request to get a TO. It works out fine. Coaches understand the realities of the game and will do what they can to get what they want.

Disagree all you want, but when you miss that timeout the first question will revolve around YOUR situational awareness.

Agreed. I'll add, though, that if you're looking at the coach and he's got his hands in his pockets and quietly saying something you can't hear, it's on him.

Or around the crew's situational awareness...this is very rarely on just one of the officials. It's the crew, imho.

Or even loudly saying something in a lout gym.

A couple weeks ago, I had such a game where the coach had his hands to his side and was yelling something in my general direction. With the noise in the gym, it was not possible to hear anything he said. It was the right time for a timeout but it was also possible he was yelling at his player for what they were doing.

The noise died down and then I could tell he was yelling timeout.

A visual to go with the verbal would be a good idea for any coach wanting to get a timeout when the official is not near them.

Agree. Consider my "your" all-inclusive. :)

Once again I disagree. The conversation will revolve around HIM getting the TO request communicated--that is his job.

10 days ago, rival teams +/-3000 fans, 2 pt game, 2+1 for H team to tie (and maybe go up), I am L (admin FT) and V coach is SCREAMING at the T (calling his name only), no one on the crew (including the T who was closest to the coach) knew he wanted a TO because all he yelled was the official's name. I see him yelling my partners name, but don't know he wants a TO and that is MY fault? I don't buy it. Make a TO signal, get a player, something (anything) that lets me know he wants a TO and he could have it. I looked right at him as he yells "name!, name!, name!" I don't know if he is mad about the call, wants the TO or what. I am not and will not be a mind reader.

I completely agree about situational awareness and giving TOs in places where coaches generally want them, but at the end of the day it is their job to get our attention, not the other way around.

Prior to a free throw is not a critical time to be looking for T-O call. After the free throw or a made basket is what is being discussed for situational awareness purposes. And you know at a certain level, and in camps, we are expected to be looking for those time-outs.

^^^^This is what you want to take away from this thread and learn from it.

You were right to not T. Not a crime to stare. Need to be aware of the situation and anticipate this. If you were, you'd be looking right at him after the basket and then the clock. And if timer did not stop clock, you would know how much time to put on clock. Good no T but not necessarily what you need to learn from this. Take this as what to do next time and it'll serve you well in future because it will happen again and again.