Get the first one

[jTheUmp]

Basketball officials (at least, good ones) always talk about the importance of "getting the first one". That point was hammered home to me in a big way in a game earlier this week.

JV boys, 3 person crew. I'm new lead in transition. A40 and B44 are running together down the court ahead of the ball. As they reach the block, B44 gives A40 a slight one-hand shove and A440 stumbles OOB. For some reason, I didn't get any air in my whistle. I think I thought it was more incidental than anything.

A40, on the other hand, took exception to it, and "came back mad".... about 2 seconds later, he runs out to the wing and receives a pass. The then looks, notices that B44 is guarding him, and immediately lowers his shoulder and runs directly over B44. T and I both come up with a Player Contol foul, and B44 has to leave the game for awhile (he hit the floor pretty hard).

The whole thing could've been avoided if I had just called the first foul on B44, and that fact has been bothering me for the last couple of days.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Get The First One