Guessing Game #2

[pfan1981]

Originally Posted by Coach Bill

You didn't have a good look, so how can u in good conscience make a call? As long as you were hustling into position (you were), as a coach I've always appreciated it when I'm told I didn't see it, or I didn't see it that way coach. I don't like guessing.

Also - u didn't say what happened on the play? Was a turnover caused? If the offense kept the ball, then I'd say that's probably the fairest outcome.

Offense maintained possession. But the most vocal coach wanted the charge. Believe me, i know the score doesn't matter, but the guy that wanted a charge was up 20+ in the fourth quarter

Good responses for the coach Bill, thanks.

[Camron Rust]

Why was your partner all the way at the endline? How may players were above the top of the key in the frontcourt or in the backcourt at the start of the throwin. If you say more than 4, then your partner shouldn't have been at the endline. He should have been at the FT line extended to mid-court depending on the specific location of the players....and that would have put him in a position to help.

[BryanV21]

While I understand the questions regarding positioning, I think you're missing the point of the OP. He's asking whether or not you think it's better to guess at the call, or to leave it alone.

I'm on the fence about that, and I'd like to hear more to push me to one side or the other.

On the one hand, I understand you want to make some call when it comes to a collision like that. You can't wait to see the outcome of the play, meaning who comes up with the ball, before making a call. That's not how officiating basketball works (unless it's a free throw, and the violation is by the defense, so you want to see if the shot is made or not). I was once told that when it comes to a collision you have to make a call.

On the other hand, I understand that you don't want to make a call since you don't have definitive knowledge of the play. I was also told you shouldn't make a call that you can't explain.

So...? Help?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

On the one hand, I understand you want to make some call when it comes to a collision like that. You can't wait to see the outcome of the play, meaning who comes up with the ball, before making a call. That's not how officiating basketball works (unless it's a free throw, and the violation is by the defense, so you want to see if the shot is made or not). I was once told that when it comes to a collision you have to make a call.

On the other hand, I understand that you don't want to make a call since you don't have definitive knowledge of the play. I was also told you shouldn't make a call that you can't explain.

So...? Help?

Sometimes, you just need to officiate.

There's no real rule that's going to help you here.

Sometimes, you "know" that a no-call is wrong, so *maybe* you're better off guessing on B or C -- you've got a 50% chance of being right instead of a 100% chance of being wrong; and you;ll only have one coach mad at you instead of two.

Sometimes, you can make an educated guess. But, your chances of being right go up with experience, and when it's right to do so varies by area and by game and by minute within the game -- so you need some experience to determine whether you need to be 95% sure, or 75% sure, or 50% sure to make the call -- and which way you want to default.