Basketball Officials' Guidelines

Basketball Officials' Guidelines

·       Keep a diagonal position opposite your officiating partner

·       Never be positioned directly beneath the basket during play or during free throw attempts

·       Concentrate and focus on your area of responsibility

·       Re-position yourself to see more of your area of responsibility

·       Switch ends with your officiating partner frequently

·       Did the player’s action cause an unfair advantage?

·       Teach where appropriate

·       Warn against aggressive post play and lingering in the key area

·       If the ball is in your area of responsibility, concentrate on the activity with the ball

·       If the shooter is within your area of responsibility, concentrate on the shooter through the entire shooting motion/activity

·       Reward good defense

·       The defender does not have to be stationary to draw a charging foul

·       Rule of verticality - defender owns the space directly above their defensive position

·       Legal screens require the screener to be “set” or stationary

·       Work with the scorer’s table

·       Watch for “points of emphasis” such as team control fouls, closely guarded situations, contact above the shoulders, intentional fouls and illegal contact (hand-checking, rebounding and post-play).  Note: 2017-2018 point of emphasis - fouling in a close game - defense must make an attempt at stealing the ball - if no attempt at stealing the ball, then intentional foul - 2 shots and shooting team retains possession out of bounds

·       Post play "dislodging" an opponent is a foul

·       Foul line "spots" close to the free throw shooter - cannot make contact with the shooter prior to the ball passing the rim and cannot enter the shooter's space.  Can be a re-try or a foul up to the referees discretion.