South Dakota High School Activities Association
J a n u a r y 1 2 , 20 1 6
A u t h o r : B u c k T i mmi n s
2015-16 Basketball Region Meetings
Basketball officials will need to attend TWO basketball region meetings to be eligible
to officiate sub-state and state athletic games and tournament. With the rules and mechanics
meetings online, this is your opportunity to have face to face discussion with other officials in
your region.
Position Adjust
Adjusting your position on the floor to get the best possible look is imperative to the
pursuit toward excellence in officiating. Open looks are everything; closed invalid looks are
killers. Adjusting your position or your “look” often times just means taking a step or two one
way or another. If the ball goes right, take a step or two to the left. If the ball goes left, you go
right. The key point is to first take steps in the opposite direction that the ball handler is
going.
It is not only the trail who needs to be aware of adjusting his/her position. Lead
officials often need to move a foot or two every time the ball moves on the perimeter because
the post players usually move to a new position when the ball moves.
Center officials need to adjust their position to get the best look at cutters and
screeners.
It seems unlikely that the ball can move in your primary several times and you have
the perfect look each time without moving.
Position Adjust! Move with a purpose and move to improve. Go where you need to go
to see the play. When given the choice between angle and distance, choose angle every time.
Last Shot
The trail (two-person) or the opposite official (three-person) is responsible for the last
shot. The responsible official sounds his/her whistle when the period ends with a horn or light,
if the gymnasium is equipped with one. Many times the horn may not be heard by the players.
If there is no attempt involved, just blow the whistle to end the period. If an attempt is
involved, give the “good if it goes” signal if the ball was released in time and the no good
signal if it was not released in time. The official should not wait until the ball goes in or is
missed before giving the signal. If the official makes his/her decision once the attempt was
tried and if you give the signal immediately there is no possibility of crowd reaction, coach’s
persuasion, or anything else to influence the officials decision.
Front Court and Back Court
A ball in contact with a player or the playing court is in the backcourt when either the
ball or the player (or any part of more than one player touching the ball at the same time) is
touching the backcourt. The ball is considered in the frontcourt when neither the ball, nor any
player in contact with the ball, is touching the backcourt. The entire division line is considered
to be in the backcourt.
Play 1: A1, in Team A’s backcourt, passes to A2, who catches the ball with both feet on the
court, one in the frontcourt and one in the backcourt. A2 while holding the ball then (a) picks
up the foot in the backcourt (making the frontcourt foot the pivot foot) and puts it back down
in the backcourt, or (b) picks up the foot in the frontcourt and puts it back down in A2’s
frontcourt or backcourt.
Ruling 1: In (a), A2 has committed a backcourt violation. When A2 picked up the foot in the
backcourt while in contact with the ball, neither A2 nor the ball were in contact with the
backcourt. By definition, A2 was momentarily in the frontcourt and violated when the nonpivot foot re-touched the backcourt. In (b), no violation has occurred as the pivot foot
maintains the backcourt status of A2 and the ball regardless of where A2 places the non-pivot
foot.
When dribbling from backcourt to frontcourt, frontcourt status has been achieved when both
feet of the dribbler and the ball have touched the court entirely in the frontcourt.
Play 2: A3 dribbles toward the frontcourt where a trap awaits in the corner created by the
sideline and the division line. After placing one foot entirely in the frontcourt, dribbling once
in the frontcourt and lifting the other foot entirely off the floor in the backcourt, A3 sees the
trap, and replaces the foot on the floor in the backcourt, reverses the dribble and returns
entirely to the backcourt.
Ruling 2: No violation has occurred because A3 is dribbling the ball and the backcourt foot
never touched the frontcourt.
In Play 1, the player was holding the ball (not dribbling), so lifting the non-pivot foot in the
backcourt and returning it to the floor achieved backcourt status, resulting in a violation. The
fact that A3 was dribbling while a foot was in the backcourt makes Play 2 legal.
Play 3: A4, in Team A’s backcourt, passes to A2 who jumps from Team A’s frontcourt, catches
the ball in the air and lands in the backcourt.
Ruling 3: Backcourt violation on Team A. A2 gains player and team control in the air after
having left the floor from Team A’s frontcourt, therefore having frontcourt status
Make Eye Contact With A Partner
While sounding your whistle, raising your hand and moving toward the spot make eye
contact with a partner. This is an important opportunity to communicate with your partner
and make sure he/she doesn’t have a foul signal up or calling a held ball. Keep your head up
to appear confident in your decision.
The SDHSAA has seen a lot of officials who call the foul and take off to report it to the
table in a flash. The SDHSAA is suggesting that the calling official hold their foul signal for
two or three seconds and even close down a step or two if appropriate. Verbalize the offending
players number and how the ball is to resume play. Identify the shooter or verbalize where the
ball is going to go out of bounds and make sure everything is OK before leaving the spot of the
foul. Then move to the appropriate reporting area, give the number of the person committing
the foul and the proper foul signal; then move to the next position
Principle of Verticality—Blocked Shot
A defensive player guarding a player is entitled to have an erect (vertical) position even
to extent of holding the arm(s) above the shoulders. The defender is not required to maintain
any specific distance from a player. This is a legal position as long as the player does not walk
forward or bring the arms forward or down and cause contact when player is shooting.
Allow teams the opportunity to block shots and play defense. DON’T anticipate your
calls to early---self discipline, and anticipate the play, NOT the call.
If both players go straight up, body contact is completely incidental to the play.
Nullifying a clean block by citing body contact is often a bail out call. When considering body
contact, remember that more often than not, the offensive player is attacking the rim. It
stands to reason that the offensive player often initiates the contact.
Seeing through the play also provides a clear look to see if a defender’s hand is on the
ball or on the wrist of the shooter.
Referee the defense. Anticipate that the defender will make a clean block rather than
anticipating contact. That mindset will nurture a patient whistle. By anticipating no whistle,
you’ve given yourself time to see the entire play and then make your decision.
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Be Aware Of All Game Situations
Be focused and try not to daydream.
Show spot for throw in after common foul and violations. Be accurate and fair to both
teams with correct throw in spot.
After time out, know who the shooter is and how many free throw shots, will be grated.
Know when bonus will go into effect, double bonus, communicate.
Count number of players after subs, timeouts, etc. Prevent violations.
Last second shot-important to sell one way or the other!! If not a buzzer beater…don’t
look to see if it went in.
Give fair counts at all times for throw-ins, 10 seconds, closely guarded. Switch hands
when changing to a new count.
Let coach know if necessary, the number of times outs he/she remaining.
Be aware of intentional fouls towards the end of the game (be on the same page).
Always look for time out request late in game from coach or during potential jump ball
situation from players or head coach.
Principle of Verticality: Don't call fouls on clean blocks up top when shooter causes
slight body contact. Let big guys be big guys and be fair to both teams to let them play
defense.
Taunting and baiting: Do Not tolerate, automatic technical.
Technical fouls: talk, if necessary, get it right. Who shoots and at which end.
Administer in order of occurrence.
Protect shooter: on touch fouls on shooting arm, or hand on hip.
Referee the defense: Don't penalize good defense! Don't bail out offensive player who is
out of control or initiating contact.
Help: If you need help, ask for it, don't guess. Bottom line is, get it right. It's not “who's
right”, but “what's right”. If you see a deflection that the calling ref missed, approach
him, give him the information and let him change the call if he chooses, also let him
know if a shot went in on foul calls.
Who Initiated The Contact?
The concept of “who” initiated the contact is one of the most important in basketball
officiating. There probably isn’t a more egregious error we can make than calling a foul on a
defender who has legal guarding position and it was actually the offensive player who was not
vertical and created the illegal contact. More often than not, this play may be best ruled as
incidental contact unless the defender is dislodged. Rule it a no call! We often see an offensive
player who is behind the backboard try to score or draw a foul by jumping into a legally
positioned defender to get to the front of the backboard for a shot. How often on this play do
officials call a foul on the defender?
Reporting Fouls
Before reporting fouls to the bench, let your replacement official know what you have out‐of-bounds, shooters number, two shots or bonus. Don’t let the 7th team foul catch you
off‐guard and not knowing who the shooter is!!
OFFICIAL’S: In your Pre‐Game Bench conversation, have the bench personnel assist
you by notifying you when the team has committed their sixth foul.
Touching Ball To The Floor
If the offensive player touches the ball to the floor (once or several times) to brace
him/her from falling, this action DOES NOT constitute the start of a dribble, so it would be
perfectly legal for the offensive player to begin a dribble after regaining his/her balance.
If the offensive player for any reason were to touch his/knee to the floor while holding
the ball, this would be a traveling violation. The offensive player could use his/her hand to
touch the floor without committing a violation.
If the offensive player were to gain control of the ball while having one knee on the
floor and stand up, this would be a traveling violation. If the offensive player were to start a
dribble before rising from one knee, this action would be legal.
SLOWER/PATIENT WHISTLES
Develop the ability to have a “patient whistle”. Officials must allow the entire
play to finish before we make a decision on blowing the whistle. When officials let the play
happen before they put air in the whistle, the percentage of calls they get right goes up. You
must see the play from start to finish, evaluate all the contact or lack thereof, and decide if a
whistle is warranted. Hold your whistle at least for a second. You’ll get more plays right. It is
better to have a late whistle and be right than to have an early whistle and be wrong.
Loss Of Alternating Possession Arrow
If a foul by either team occurs before the alternating-possession throw-in ends, the foul
is penalized as required and play continues as it normally would, but the possession arrow is
not reversed. The same team will still have the arrow for the next alternating-possession
throw-ends. (6-4-4)
The opportunity to make an alternating-possession throw-in is lost if the throw-in team
violates.
Officials Quiz
Question 1: During the pregame practice period, the visiting team properly uses the east goal
and the home team the west goal. The officials, by mistake allow the jumpers to face the
wrong direction to start the game. A1 controls the tap by tapping the ball back to A2. A2,
realizing that he/she had warmed up at the basket behind A1, dribbles to that basket and
scores an uncontested basket. Do you count the basket?
Question 2: A1 catches a pass, fumbles the ball, retrieves it by, dribbling, ends the dribble,
fumbles the ball and then retrieves the ball again. Official calls a violation. Is this a correct
call?
Questions 3: A1 dives for the ball on the floor, gains control of the ball and then slides on the
floor. Official calls a travel violation. Is this a correct ruling?
Question 4: A1’s try for goal, fails to reach the basket and A1 catches the ball while it remains
airborne. Official calls a travel violation. Is that a correct call?
Question 5: Dribbler A1 is closely-guarded by B1 in A’s frontcourt and the covering official’s
count is at three when A1’s dribble is interrupted when the ball bounces off his/her foot. An
additional two seconds goes by as A1 turns to get the loose ball and B1 remains within 6 feet.
Do you have a five second violation?
Question 6: A pass, a tap or a try for field goal by A1 is in flight when the horn sounds
indicating the expiration of time in the third quarter. The ball subsequently comes down
several feet in front of the basket, strikes the floor without touching any player and bounces
into the basket. Does the basket count?
Question 7: Dribbler A1 catches the ball with the right foot touching the floor and then jumps
off that foot and alights on both feet simultaneously. Does A1 have a pivot foot?
Question 8: A1’s first of two free throws is successful. Prior to the second free-throw attempt,
team B’s head coach calls a timeout, but team B has no timeouts remaining. What is the
result, and how is play resumed?
Question 9: Player A1 fouls player B1 during a unsuccessful try for goal. Substitute A6 enters
the game for A1. Team A’s head coach sends A1 back to the table to re-enter the game (a)
before B2’s second free throw; (b) after having called a timeout between B2’s first and second
free throws. Shall A1 be allowed to enter the game?
Question 10: Team A is awarded the ball for a throw-in under the alternating procedure. A1
commits a violation. Does Team A lose the alternating procedure arrow?
Officials or Coaches
If you have a question about a rule interpretation, a play situation or a mechanic question
that officials/coaches statewide should know about or the SDHSAA should know about to
help make the game of basketball better for everyone involved in the game of basketball—
please send your concerns to be included in the weekly bulletins.
Send your concerns to Buck Timmins at
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[email protected]
Cell Phone: 605-933-1493
Home Phone: 605-996-1486
Technical Foul To Start Game
8.3 SITUATION: A technical foul is issued prior to the start of the game for a player dunking
the ball during warm-ups and the game begins with free throws. Non-starter A6, is bought in
to the game to attempt the free throws and replaces starter A5.
RULING: Legal substitute. The ball becomes live to start the game when placed at A6's
disposal. A6 and A5 are subject to proper substitution rules. A5 may not re-enter until the
next opportunity to substitute after the clock has been properly started.
Quiz Answers
RULING 1: Score the basket for Team A. The officials should stop the game and emphasize
to both teams the proper direction. The mistake is an official’s error by allowing A1 and B1 to
face the wrong direction; not a correctable error.
RULING 2: NO. A fumble, dribble, fumble is legal. A dribble, fumble, dribble is illegal. Case
Book Page 27--4.15 comment; Page 29 4.15.4 Situation D
RULING 3: NO. No violation has occurred. A1 may pass, shoot, start a dribble or call a timeout. Once A1 has the ball and is no longer sliding, he/she may not roll over. If flat on his/her
back, A1 may sit up without violating. Any attempt to get to the feet is traveling unless A1 is
dribbling. It is also traveling if A1 puts the ball on the floor, then rises and is first to touch the
ball. Case Book 4.44.5 Situation B
RULING 4: NO. No violation has occurred. A1 can dribble, shoot or pass after the failed try
for goal.
RULING 5: NO. The closely guarded count shall be terminated when the dribble is
interrupted, but will start over if A1 continues the dribble or holds the ball and is again
closely-guarded.
RULING 6: NO. A try or tap by A1 towards A’s basket does not become dead until the try or
tap ends, which it does when it touches the floor. Therefore, no points are scored.
RULING 7: If both feet come to the floor simultaneously then A1 does not have a pivot foot.
RULING 8: Team B shall be allowed to use the timeout, but the request for an excessive
timeout results in a technical foul charged to team B. The technical foul is a team technical.
After the timeout period, A1 shall shoot his or her remaining free throw for the original foul
with no players in the marked lane spaces then any team A player or substitute is awarded
two free throws for the technical, and then team A shall receive a throw-in at the division line
opposite the table.
RULING 9:A1 is not allowed to enter the game in either situation. Whether or not a timeout
has been called, and regardless of the fact that the ball became live during B2’s free throw(s),
the clock must have been properly started before a player who has left the game can re-enter
as a substitute.
RULING 10: Team B’s ball for a throw-in because of the violation. In addition, the possession
arrow is reversed and pointed towards Team B’s basket. Team B will have the next throw-in
opportunity under the alternating procedure. Team A has lost its opportunity by virtue of the
violation. A violation by Team A during an alternating-possession throw-in is the only way a
team loses their possession under the procedure.