ASK THE REF #1

November, 2009 - 2010 SEASON

Well, basketball is back in action again.  Yes, I know.....it's been in action all summer.....and, like, where have you been, Skip??   I've been here.  I worked Don Ryan's wonderful Hempstead Summer League and I'm all set to begin the new season ahead, both on the court and here in the column.  Let's get going.

First things first.  Not many high school rule changes to speak of this year, so I won't get into that right now. But how about the colleges (NCAA)?  Do you recall last year when I suggested that the NCAA might have to consider a rule change to cover alleged "injuries" in the final minutes of a game?   I wrote a column following a situation in which UCONN coach Jim Calhoun pulled his star center (Thabeet) from a game at a point when he was supposedly injured and should have been shooting a couple of free throws.  It didn't seem quite right that after his substitute shot the free throws, the same injured player soon re-entered the game and finished it out.  My, my....how quickly he recovered from his injury!  Do you think there might have been something a little "fishy" about that?  Well, some did......and I wrote about it. Over the summer, I was glad to see that the NCAA did something about it.   Actually, this is often the way rule changes come about.  Something happens in a game somewhere and the rules makers see a problem and address it with a rule change. So, beginning this season, if a player from Team A is injured and unable to shoot his merited free throws, the coach of Team B will be permitted to choose a free throw shooter from the remaining four Team A players on the court.  This might be a little extreme.  For example, suppose the injured Team A player is their best free throw shooter?  Now one of the poorer shooters will be picked to shoot those free throws.  If nothing else, it will make the coach of Team A think carefully about removing a player to keep him from shooting free throws. As usual, the reason for this rule is consistent with the underlying rules philosophy of "advantage and disadvantage."  In this case, any "advantage" gained by removing an injured player will be offset by the "disadvantage" of having the opposing coach select the player he wants to shoot those free throws. 

A second significant NCAA change deals with drawing "charge" calls under the basket.  Under the new rule, a "secondary defender" must establish a position outside the area from the front of the rim to the front of the backboard in order to be able to draw an offensive (charge) foul call.  That will be tricky, but like the NBA, it's time for some change in this call.  I'm sure we will be hearing more about this one as the season develops.

And now a couple of quick questions from our readers.

QUESTION -  If there is a backboard equipped with the red LED light, is the light or the horn on the board the official signal for expiration of a quarter? Can either be used when both are available?

ANSWER - They SHOULD be simultaneous, so there's no reason that both should not be used. 

QUESTION - I was wondering about the current officiating thinking on reaching from behind to try and slap or tap the ball away. If you have beaten your man off the dribble and he reaches around you from behind to go after the ball, is that typically called a foul or will a ref have to definitely see the contact before making a foul call?

ANSWER - Great question.  You already know the answer......that is, that the referee should see the contact before making the call.  It doesn't mean that referees don't occasionally anticipate a foul call and make an error, especially at the lower levels.  But the more qualified officials will "chew on the whistle" (not make a call....) unless they actually see something.

Do you have a question? Have you seen a play you didn't understand? Was there a controversy you'd like clarified?  Send your questions in and I'll do my best to get you an answer.

Skip Yutzler

IAABO Board 127

40 Years High School and Junior College Official

5 Times NY State HS Championships - Glens Falls

# 65

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