January 25, 2011 | Issue 87

Remarks from the Supervisor of Officials: Donnee L. Gray

We are coming down the final stretch of the season.  Let's go out and officiate every play hard ... putting into motion all of the rules and procedures we have discussed all year.  Be on time; dress professionally; communicate with your crew (pre-game and post-game conferences); work together as a team; work with coaches and players; and, when necessary, take care of business. Above all, be a professional and do your very best.

I’ve been observing many games and during the past several weeks staff have improved their officiating of the points of emphasis.  When officials decide to concentrate on off-ball coverage and quit watching the ball, the quality of officiating post-play situations and officiating cutters without the ball rises dramatically.   Other reminders from our MACBOA Observer staff include:

1. Be alert for a player "stealing" the opening tap.
2. Officials need to be aware of the use of an arm bar on a dribbler in lieu of a hand check. This tactic is often used by a defender to "buy time" as a dribbler tries to drive past a defender. Officials need to penalize it as a foul occurs when it interferes with the dribbler or any players’ “rhythm, speed, balance or quickness.”
3. Officials need to start their closely guarded counts when the correct distance is obtained.
4.  Officials have to work on recognizing travels, shooters hop, and palming the ball on cross-over dribbles.
5. Officials must move their feet into position and then adjust as this is a much more effective way to officiate plays, scrums and put-backs at the basket.
6. The Lead official must rotate to the ball side of the court, whenever possible, and once he rotates there, should mirror the position of the ball.  Anchoring yourself on the lane line extended is not rotating and is not mirroring the ball.  Walking quickly, jogging or running are all acceptable methods of getting ball side.  When proper rotation by the Lead official doesn't take place, the C and T are forced into poor positions to get open looks and quite often, the floor becomes so unbalanced, that there are large areas of the floor that are left uncovered.
7. Officials MUST referee EVERY possession hard. 
8. Officials must be aware of the shot clock at the end of the half and the end of the game.
9. Thank you for attending to administrative matters.  Please remember to cut-and-paste the Rules Test with your answers and not send as an attachment. 
10. And thank you to staff for returning their Membership Update form.  (Deadline 01/25/2011).

Donnee L. Gray
Supervisor of Officials

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MACBOA Staff Interview:
5-Minutes with ROBERT GRIFFIN

How long have you been officiating at the NCAA level?
I am entering my 6th year of officiating at the NCAA level.

What other leagues are you a member of?
I am also a member of the CBOO, Collegiate Basketball Officials Organization.

Why did you get involved in this avocation?
After having the opportunity playing D-I basketball for James Madison University and after graduate school, decided to become a basketball official.  I have enjoyed every bit of it and wished that I would have started sooner.  Officiating is a way for me to stay close to the game that I love. 

Any officiating and personal highlights would you like to share with us?
I had the honor and privilege to officiate the NJCAA Region XX Basketball Tournament in 2009 and 2010.  I was inducted into 32nd Annual Frederick County, MD Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.  I have also officiated in 3 MD State Boy’s Semi-Finals and 3 MD Boy’s Final at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center.

What is your occupation?
I am a High School Teacher (Transition Education Coordinator) in Frederick County, Maryland. I am entering my 21st year in teaching.

What officiating goals do you have?
My officiating goal is to be the best basketball official and then move onto the next level.  Most of all, enjoy the game and the new friendships I have formed through officiating.

Why did you join MACBOA?
I joined MACBOA because I wanted to get better and advance up to the next level of basketball officiating.  I felt that I was ready and prepared to advance to a higher level of officiating. MACBOA has been a stepping stone for me into the NCAA officiating.  MACBOA has provided me with experience, growth and knowledge to become a better official.

What advice would you give to individuals about officiating?
To make sure to adjust officiating around your family and job. Have patience and be prepared for every game. Study the rule book and remember you are not bigger than the game. Find a mentor and have fun.

Any other comments?
I would like to thank my wife, Chrissy, who lets me travel all over to officiate basketball games.

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Basketball Officials Association (BOA) News from Rozier Collier

Please continue to inform the BOA about member information and news.  You may contact:
Rozier Collier at Rozcollier@aol.com
Brian Pearson at bapearson@live.com
David McAndrew at davesju9931@aol.com
______________________________________
We are proud to announce our partnership with TURFER Athletic and have launched the MACBOA Store.

Please visit us at: http://www.wearyourcolors.com/MACBOA
to shop for a full line of MACBOA shirts, jackets, team suits and accessories.

A portion of the profits from the MABOA store are returned to MACBOA as a fundraiser.

Contact:
Jennifer Borden
VP Sales & Marketing
TURFER Athletic
Email: jborden@turfer.com
Web site: www.turfer.com
Web client: www.wearyourcolors.com
Phone: (401) 345-9221

The BOA is looking for volunteers to assist on various committees. We are looking for members to form a Welcoming Committee and also a committee to determine if the membership would like to have an annual banquet at end of the season. Any and all ideas are welcome to help the BOA be an organization that the members can be proud of.

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Let’s Get into the Rule Book!
Quiz/Test Number #4

Deadline for Completion: Thursday, February 3, 2011

Cut-and-Paste Test below and send with your ANSWERS: macboa10@aol.com.

Type your First Name and Last Name:

Enter an “X” if you officiate:  MEN:                or WOMEN:

Plays & Rulings - You Make the Call!

Play 1: A-1 is bleeding from a blow to the head and unable to attempt his free throw(s). Is Rule 3-4.17 concerning an injured player applicable?

Play 2: A-1 is fouled and is unable to attempt his free throw(s). The coach from Team A requests a timeout. The referee recognizes and grants the timeout. What happens after the time out?

Play 3: B-1 commits a flagrant personal foul against A-1. After B-1’s flagrant foul, the coach from Team B was assessed a CLASS A technical foul. A-1 was injured and was unable to attempt his free throws. The coach from Team A selects A-7 to attempt the two free throws awarded for B-1’s flagrant foul and the two free throws for the CLASS A technical foul. The referee permitted A-7 to attempt the four free throws. Is this correct?  What happens after the free throws?

Play 4: As A-2 makes a drive to the basket, B-1, a secondary player, establishes his initial guarding position under the basket. Contact occurs. The referee calls a charge while the official calls a block.

Play 5: After a rebound, A-1 flagrantly fouls B-1 and the foul is missed. Team A outlets the ball for a fast break but the ball is deflected out of bounds by Team B. Team A in-bounds the ball and as the ball is advanced up the court, B-1 flagrantly fouls A-1. The foul is missed. During the next dead ball, the referee notices that A-1 is bleeding and decides to review the monitor to determine if a flagrant foul occurred. Upon review the referee penalizes A-1’s missed flagrant foul as well as B-1’s missed flagrant foul. Is the referee correct?

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Questions and Answers to Test Number #3 (NCAA Rules)

1. Class “A” technical fouls count towards the bonus and a player’s “five” personal fouls.
2. Class “B” technical fouls count towards the bonus and a player’s “five “personal fouls.
3. A-1 intentionally slaps the backboard; this technical foul shall count towards the bonus.
4. On a disqualification, the official shall notify the player and then the Head Coach.
5. B6 leaves the bench during a fight. B6 is disqualified and ejected.
6. B-6 is disqualified for committing “five” personal fouls. When Team B’s Head Coach is notified, B6 becomes bench personal.
7. A disqualified player shall be replaced within a 20 second time limit.
8. A-1’s dribble is interrupted. A-1 is in player control.
9. A-1’s dribble is interrupted.  A-1 requests a timeout.  An official grants the request.
10. When a player is ejected, he/she must go to their locker room until the game is over.
11. A flagrant personal is automatic ejection.
12. The length of each extra period is “4” minutes.
13. A-1 combatively pushes B-1 when the ball is dead. This should be ruled a flagrant personal foul.
14. Followers of a team are fans, mascots, cheerleaders, and bands that are associated with a particular team.
15. A common foul is a personal foul.
16. An intentional foul is a common foul.
17. Airborne shooter A-1 releases the ball and goes through B-1. This is a player control foul.
18. A double foul can be either a personal or technical foul.

Answers courtesy of officials: Adam Isenburg, Fil Zucchi and Steve Lightman (Men’s basketball officials) and Ponce Gerald and Renee Fye (Women’s basketball officials)

1. True – Rule 10.5.1 – The penalty for a Class A Unsporting Technical Infraction is two free throws shall be awarded to any member of the offended team. No free throws shall be awarded for a double or offsetting technical foul. Counts toward the team-foul total and applies towards disqualification and ejection.
2. False – Rule 10.6.1-2 – The penalty for a Class B Unsporting Technical Infraction is two free throws shall be awarded to any member of the offended team. All infractions counts toward ejection but do not count towards the team-foul total or disqualification
3. False – Rule 10.6.2-g, a class B technical infraction such as slapping the backboard – PENALTY: Two free throws shall be awarded to any member of the offended team.  All infractions count towards ejection but do not count toward the team foul total or disqualification. For Women’s basketball – TRUE – Rule 10.3.4 Penalty.
4. False – Rule 4.20.3 – The official shall notify the coach and then the player of any disqualification
5. True – Rule 4.20.2 – A team member who leaves the bench area during a fight shall be disqualified and ejected.
6. True – Rule 4.20.4 – When the coach is notified by an official that a player is disqualified, that player becomes bench personnel, except when the disqualified individual is ejected.
7. True – Rule 4.20.5 – A disqualified player shall be replaced within a 20-second time limit.
8. False – Rule 4.21.6 – During an interrupted dribble, there shall be no player control
9. False – Rule 4.21.6-b – During an interrupted dribble, there shall be no player control and the following cannot occur:
1. Player-control foul
2. Granting of a timeout request; or
3. Five-second closely guarded dribbling violation
10.  True – Rule 4.23.1-a – In addition to being disqualified, an individual who is ejected shall leave the playing court and floor area and report to his or her team’s locker room until the game is over
11. True – Rule 10.1.15e-2-a: Any flagrant personal foul shall result in ejection of the offender
12. False – Rule 5.8.2 – The length of each extra period shall be five minutes
13. True – Rule 10.5.1-e – Flagrantly (severe or extreme) contacting an opponent while the ball is dead.  PENALTY: Two free throws shall be awarded to any member of the offended team.  Counts toward the team-foul total.  Flagrant technical foul(s) (Art 1.e-i) are non-applicable toward disqualification since they lead to automatic ejection. 
    
    Note: Rule 10.5.1-d – Contacting an opponent, while the ball is dead, in an unnecessary, unacceptable and excessive manner. Two free throws shall be awarded to any member of the offended team.  This will count toward the team-foul total, and applies toward disqualification and ejection (Art 1.a through d).
14. True – Rule 4.27 – Followers are fans, bands, cheerleaders and mascots associated with a particular team
15. True – Rule 4.29.2-a – A common foul shall be a foul committed by a personal foul that is neither flagrant nor intentional, nor committed against a player trying for a field goal, nor part of a double, multiple or simultaneous foul
16. True – Rule 4.29.2-d – An intentional foul shall be a personal foul that, on the basis of an official’s observation of the act, may be purposeful or reactionary and is not based solely on the severity of the act
17. False – Rule 4.29.2-a-1 – A player-control foul is a common foul committed by a player when he is in control of the ball. For Women’s basketball – TRUE – Rule 4.29.2-a,1b.
18. True – Rule 4.29.2-b – A double personal foul occurs when two opponents commit personal fouls against each other at approximately the same time.
1. Rule 4.29.3-e – A double technical foul occurs when opponents commit technical fouls against each other at approximately the same time

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