Scenario 1: A1 going in for layup, B1 beside A1 going up to block shot, both moving at fast layup speed. B1 slips on floor and knocks A1 off balance, who falls to the floor and is injured. RULING: Intentional foul due to the excessive/ hard contact. It doesn’t matter his intent and/or that he slipped: B1 has responsibility for the contact.
Month: July 2015
OUT: “Over the back”.. IN: “Displacement”
One of the most common things yelled at basketball games (based on my non-scientific studies!) is “Over the back”. Everybody in the gym knows what this means: B1 is in front of A1 for a rebound, A1 gets the rebound.
But technically there is no ‘Over the Back’ foul or violation. The issue and rule is ‘displacement’: does A1 displace – move – B1 in trying to get the rebound.
Often A1 is taller than B1 and reaches in front of B1 or over the top of B1 to get the rebound, sometimes even touching B1. That doesn’t matter unless A1 displaces – moves – B1.
While on that topic, ‘boxing out’ has changed to also include the ‘displacement’ principle: If B1 pushes/moves A1 out of rebounding position (one of my childhood playing specialties), or A1 pushes/moves B1 under the basket to gain better rebounding position: FOUL. If they are both pushing against each other but no displacement, play on!
Film Room
One of the best things I can do for my skills as an official is review film, mostly of myself but of others too. I belong to several FB officiating groups that share video and dialogue on plays.
This thread is a candid conversation I have (mostly with myself) regarding plays where I have learned valuable lessons.
I began officiating in 1988, though I took a bunch of years off while my kids were young. I returned in 2015 to full-time officiating and currently work a mostly Girls Varsity schedule.