Break up coach interaction?

[Scrapper1]

In yesterday's match, I was the R1. My R2 was a first-year official who has a lot of playing and coaching experience.

Between the 3rd and 4th set, the home Head Coach comes halfway across the court to tell me that he wants the visiting scorer removed from the table for being disrespectful. I simply said that I'd talk to my R2. R2 says he hasn't seen or heard anything disrespectful, so I tell him to simply address the scorer and tell her that we don't want any issues. R2 goes back to the table.

While he's talking to the scorer, I see the two head coaches are having a conversation in the substitution zone about the scorer.

My question: what, if anything, should the officials do about this interaction. It didn't become heated, but I was very uncomfortable with it. It felt like it would've been very easy to have an escalation.

So as the R2, would you have stepped in and asked the coaches to return to their benches? Would you have just left it alone, since it didn't seem heated? If the R2 didn't seem to notice (which is what happened in my match), would you do anything as the R1?

As a basketball official, there's no way I'm allowing that conversation to take place during a stoppage in play in front of the scorer's table. But in this case, it was really hard for me to tell if intervening would have escalated the situation.

Just looking for thoughts. Thanks.

[Tony.oe4]

Based on your description, I am assuming not only did the R2 not see the coaches talking to each other, the R2 would not know how to handle this situation due to lack of experience. I would have probably blown my whistle to get my R2's attention and called him over. I would instruct the R2 to tell both coaches on how he was going to handle the visiting scorekeeper issue (whatever that was) and then send both coaches back to their benches. This way everyone knows what is going on and it keeps the possibility of this situation from escalating.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

In yesterday's match, I was the R1. My R2 was a first-year official who has a lot of playing and coaching experience.

Between the 3rd and 4th set, the home Head Coach comes halfway across the court to tell me that he wants the visiting scorer removed from the table for being disrespectful. I simply said that I'd talk to my R2. R2 says he hasn't seen or heard anything disrespectful, so I tell him to simply address the scorer and tell her that we don't want any issues. R2 goes back to the table.

While he's talking to the scorer, I see the two head coaches are having a conversation in the substitution zone about the scorer.

My question: what, if anything, should the officials do about this interaction. It didn't become heated, but I was very uncomfortable with it. It felt like it would've been very easy to have an escalation.

So as the R2, would you have stepped in and asked the coaches to return to their benches? Would you have just left it alone, since it didn't seem heated? If the R2 didn't seem to notice (which is what happened in my match), would you do anything as the R1?

As a basketball official, there's no way I'm allowing that conversation to take place during a stoppage in play in front of the scorer's table. But in this case, it was really hard for me to tell if intervening would have escalated the situation.

Just looking for thoughts. Thanks.

I would have simply observed and watched, then if it intensified stepped in. There is nothing in the rule book preventing coaches from talking during the time between sets. If there is a conduct issue, at that point the R2 should step in.