OBA/OABO- FIBA Officiating Reminders for OBA Games and Tournaments

Version 3 – 10 Apr 2013

The following are intended as reminders to officials as the OBA season progresses. The points and situations have been observed, misinterpreted or misapplied last year in the Ontario Cup Championships or recent sanctioned tournaments.

General

1. If a player arrives late and is not on the score sheet: The player is added to the score sheet and without penalty as per the OBA FIBA Rule Modifications published in the Coaches Manual

2. Player has a cast on their arm and it is padded: The player is not allowed to play. FIBA Rule 4.4.2 – Not permitted - Finger, hand, wrist, elbow or forearm guards, casts or….any other hard substance, even if covered with soft padding.

3. Player has a knee brace: The player is allowed to play with an uncovered knee brace if it has no sharp and/or protruding edges. If there is any sharp and/or protruding edges then they have to be properly covered.

Note: A new brace was observed scrapping (leaving visible marks on) the lower legs of the opponents when not covered. If so, have it covered.

4. Player is wearing a t-shirt: As per CABO published interpretation of 2009, t-shirts are permitted at all levels up to and including high school. There is no restriction on color if only a small portion is showing at neckline. Otherwise, shall be the same dominant color as the uniform.

Note: That said, use common sense judiciously depending on circumstances/situation (young girls/boys- fit of uniforms).

5. Player is wearing number 66: In Ontario, both FIBA and NHFS numbers are legal. In the rare situation that the number is neither, the player is permitted to play without penalty. OBA Rule Modification and Interpretation

6. Team asks for a time-out and has none left: The table should ignore the request. If the horn does sound and officials stop game. Ascertain that the team has none left, do not allow time-out and/or get players back on court as quickly as possible and continue play from the point it was stopped without penalty assessed to team that requested excessive time-out.

Administrative Reminders

1. Coaches are to sign score sheet before game 2. Assistant coaches should be listed on score sheet 3. Technical fouls on the coach and/or bench personnel be properly noted in the ‘notes’ section on score sheet (reminder: 2 ‘C’ type to head coach is disqualified; any combination of 3 ‘C’ and ‘B’ type fouls results in disqualification of head coach) 4. Unsporting and disqualifying fouls on players have to be properly marked in foul area and noted in the ‘notes’ section of the score sheet (reminder: 2 ‘U’ fouls on a player and they are disqualified) 5. The officials have to sign the score sheet after verifying the score at the end of the game. The game officially ends when the officials sign the score sheet. Make sure you verify before signing. 6. Players have to request to substitute (not the coaches) and be at the table and ready to go in to be beckoned 7. The head coach or assistant must request a time-out by making visual contact with scorer and signaling for time-out or go to the table and request it

Comments on above:

 Work to educate the table, coaches and players to have the ‘subs’ ask for the substitution. Set the standard and expectation early. The table should not be sounding horn when a coach yells out “Sub” and a player is getting up from the bench.  Work to educate the table and coaches as to when a time-out can be granted. In particular, the opportunity for a time-out ends when scored upon when the ball is at the disposal of the team scored upon. Don’t ‘split hairs’ but at same time, don’t allow a

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team to run several steps along the endline with the ball, have no immediate pass and then the coach asks for and is granted a time-out.

Shot Clock Reminders

Review when the shot clock is

 Started, re-started o on a new team control (gains possession of a live ball on the playing court) o when legally touched/touches a player in-bounds on a throw-in)  Stopped and reset to 24 seconds o Ball legally enters the basket o Ball touches the ring of opponent’s basket o Team is awarded a backcourt as a result of . Foul or violation (not for ball simply being touched and going out-of-bounds) by opponents . Game is stopped for a reason for a reason not connected with team in control of ball . Game is stopped for a reason not connected with either team (unless opponents placed at a disadvantage) o Team in control of ball commits an infraction (foul or violation – creates a change of possession)  Stopped but not reset (time left as showing) o Team in control is awarded a backcourt throw-in due to opponents last touching ball and it going out-of-bounds o Team in control of ball is awarded a front court throw-in with 14 or more seconds showing on shot clock as a result of . Foul or violation by opponents including a foul committed after the release of the ball on a shot . Game is stopped for a reason for a reason not connected with team in control of ball . Game is stopped for a reason not connected with either team (unless opponents placed at a disadvantage) o Team in control awarded a frontcourt throw-in as a result of opponents tipping ball out-of-bounds o Team in control of ball is awarded a throw-in and maintains control as a result of a . player of same team being injured . held ball situation . double foul . cancellation of equal penalties  Stopped and reset to 14 seconds o Team in control of ball is awarded a front court throw-in with 13 or less seconds showing on shot clock as a result of . Foul or violation by opponents including a foul committed after the release of the ball on a shot . Game is stopped for a reason for a reason not connected with team in control of ball o Game is stopped for a reason not connected with either team (unless opponents placed at a disadvantage)

Make it a habit to checking the shot clock and making a mental note of the time

 Before putting the ball in play  As soon as the ball is legally touched or touches a player on the playing court to make sure it is started/running  Whenever the whistle blows  Whenever there is a change of possession  Whenever there is a situation that may be mistaken as a change of possession and lead to an incorrect reset: o Shot missing the rim but same team that shot it gains possession o Loose ball touched by different players without the opponents gaining control and same team retains control of ball

Last Two Minutes of 4th period and any extra periods

Ensure that the game clock is stopped after a made basket in last two minutes and correct if not

 Make sure the table stops the clock and new Trail Official puts up arm to signal clock stopped o Remind them before 2 minutes left o Verbally and visually indicate when 2 minutes left  Make sure that an official immediately checks the game clock when a basket is scored in last two minutes

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All substitution and time-out rules continue with the addition that the team scored upon can make a substitution. There has been some confusion as follows:

 Both teams are entitled to call a time-out or substitute after a successful last or only free throw any time in the game. There have been cases of the officials not allowing the time-out or substitution to the team scoring the free throw in the last two minutes. The restriction in respect to only the team being scored upon refers to a successful field goal  If the team scored upon substitutes, the opponents can substitute as many players as they want. The ‘can only substitute the same number of players’ as team scored upon if they substitute is no longer in existence. There was a case where the officials only allowed the team not scored upon to substitute 1 of their 3 waiting substitutes because the team scored upon only substituted 1

The ball does advance to the throw-in line in the frontcourt if the team in control of the ball in their backcourt calls a time-out regardless of whether the other team calls a time-out or not, before or after the offensive team calls the time-out. Exception would be if the time-out is requested and play is resumed after a unsportsmanlike, technical or flagrant foul – then the in-bounds is straddling the division line.

Rule Reminders

Violations

1. A violation for returning the ball to the back court always results in a front court throw-in for the opponents with 24 seconds on the shot clock (unless less than 24 seconds left in period). 2. If there is no shot clock, closely guarded is administered as per the NFHS rule, applies to a. defender defending within 6 feet (as opposed to within 1 m actively defending per FIBA rules) b. Holding or dribbling ball c. Front court only 3. The only player who can violate to nullify a successful free throw is the shooter. The free throw is completed whether the offense (unless its shooter) or defense violates. Let the free throw be taken and determine course of action after seeing if ball goes in or not. There have been cases where a. officials have disallowed the completed successful free throw and then either corrected either immediately (whistle makes us look unsure), corrected a few minutes later at half time (technically illegal since erroneously cancelling a point(s) is a correctable error situation and must be corrected within the specified timeframe as opposed to being a bookkeeping error which can be corrected anytime up to the signing of the score sheet by the officials) or not corrected at all b. or blew the free throw activity dead immediately on an offensive player entering too early. 4. A reminder that in the judgement of the official that slapping the backboard such that it prevents the ball from going in or causes it to go in is defensive or offensive interference respectively. Award 1, 2 or 3 points accordingly for defensive interference. Note: There are situations that slapping the backboard could be penalized with a technical foul

Fouls

1. Be vigilant to not allow a player to continue to play/play when they have 5 fouls. Have table inform you when a player has 4 fouls and then to get your attention when 5. Try to keep track yourself. a. If the table doesn’t inform the officials and the officials don’t inform the player and the player continues to play, there is no penalty assessed for continuing to play when discovered and all activity that has transpired until informed stands including points scored by that player b. If a player has been informed and then is found to be playing after being disqualified, again, the transpired activity stands and a “B” type technical is assessed against that player’s team coach 2. A unsporting foul results in 2 free throws followed by a throw-in straddling the center line (not at spot closest to infraction) for the opponents with 24 seconds on the shot clock 3. Unsporting fouls on in-bounds are not reserved for the last two minutes. A full arm extension across the body of an opponent and grabbing the opposite shoulder to prevent the opponent from cutting/getting away is not a legitimate attempt to play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rule.

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4. Remember that a technical foul assessed against the coach “C” or the bench/bench personnel “B” doesn’t count towards a team’s total for penalty but a technical foul against a player “T” does. There was a situation where the technical was charged to Coach (“C”) and added to team total late in a game that resulted in two unmerited free throws made and the team that shot them won by 1 point 5. In charging situations, release of try then contact deemed a foul, in air or when returned to floor with 1 or 2 feet is no longer a team control foul; count the try if made and shot penalty if it is the team’s fifth or more foul in period (yes we are sometimes still getting this wrong). If unsure, get together with partner to get it right to determine if release happened before contact. 6. FIBA specifies that if a foul is committed when or just before the game clock sounds at the end of playing time that any eventual free throws are administered. A reminder that in tournament play such as the Championships where plus and minus can be the difference between a team moving on or not, not awarding a team the merited free throws before signing the sheet can have ramifications and have. A team was eliminated on plus minus by 1 point that may have been affected by being permitted to attempt the free throws they were entitled to at the end of a game. The foul was called but the free throws not attempted.

Other

1. To piggy back on the previous point; simply referee to the end. There was another situation where a team up by double digits purposefully held the ball with 23 seconds left to attempt a 3 point try playing with the plus minus in mind and then when (reportedly) clearly fouled it was ignored. On the other hand, there has been coach feedback specifically complimenting the officials for officiating ‘until the end’. 2. In FIBA, you can catch the ball and shoot with 0:00.3 seconds on the clock if deemed it was released in time by officials. The ball must be tapped or directly dunked if 0:00.2 or 0:00.1 shows on the clock. 3. Injured Player: reminder that if an injury occurs when the ball is live that play is to be stopped when a. Team in control of ball has shot for a field goal b. Team in control of ball has lost control of the ball c. The ball has become dead OR d. Team in control of the ball has withheld the ball from play OR e. Immediately if necessary to protect an injured player

Interaction with Coaches

It is recommended that you introduce yourself to the coaches before the game. Ensure that you identify the head coach of each team. Remember that either the head coach or assistant coach may stand to coach but that only the head coach can address the officials.

In general:

 Be cordial, yet firm  Lend an ear  Try to facilitate before control behaviour (warning, penalization) if/as possible  Set standards earlier than later

Some positive comments made about interactions

 found this weekend to be spot on. I found the refs very confident and in a teaching mode, explaining both calls and non-calls in a very calm and professional manner  In each and every game I found the officials to be: 1) approachable 2) willing to listen 3) able and willing to give an explanation of a call/decision

Things not to say (reportedly said to coaches)

 “Do you want me to call everything?” “We’ll be here all day.”  “I am not going to call any of that. We will be here all day”.  "if I call any more fouls the game will never end"  "Coach the foul count is even, stop complaining!"

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 "we don't want to determine the outcome of the game by fouling out players"  ‘it’s not my call”  “shut-up, coach”  “not another word coach”  “look at the scoreboard, the game is over”

Interaction with Spectators

Some officials are very good at interacting with crowd and diffusing things. Be judicious in doing so, if you attempt to. The standard procedure is to have the site convenor deal with the spectators.

 There should be a Fair Play/Behaviour statement made before games  Deal with things proactively, earlier than later; before emotions rise (including yours) and/or behaviours are escalating and taking away from the game and sporting environment  Normally the procedure is warning then removal from gym but an act may warrant immediate removal without warning

Some examples of things that have not panned out so far:

 Declaring to crowd before game has started that you will clear the gym if any problems  Running by crowd with your finer to your mouth going “shhhhhhhhhhh”

Avoid getting in confrontations with spectators in-between periods/after the game. If approached, stay calm and remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible. The less said the better and avoid getting into an argument and resist defending yourself if confronted.

Relationship with site convenor

The site convenor acts as a Commissionaire. He/she is on your side and works to keep the administration of the game and gymnasium environment on track. He/she (with exception of YPD rules) has authority in respect to the officiating on the floor (can’t over rule officials or direct them in how to officiate the game). The officials are in charge of the game. That said:

 get them to work with/supervise table as needed  as stated previously, get them to deal with spectators  some site convenors are not always in the gym nor have extensive basketball knowledge. That said, as officials, take the time to process information they give you. There have been a number of reports that site administrators have reported possible scoring errors or other to the officials and the information was not properly considered or ignored. Get together with your partner if needed. There was a case where the convenor informed the officials that the technical against the coach didn’t count towards penalty but was ignored and it affected the game.  Do not allow coaches to interact with site convenor during the game in an unsportsmanlike manner or create undue delay to the game with their interaction. Warn and/or penalize as appropriate. The officials are responsible for the behaviour of the participants during a game and that includes with you the officials, with each other, with the table and the convenor.

Perception of bias

There have been a number of reports of bias by officials. Always be mindful of the perception your actions may be giving. For example:

 Being seen as too familiar with one coach o Spending too much time with them before, during or after a game o Not addressing inappropriate interactions from a coach; having to repeatedly interrupt the game to interact with a coach without penalization o Using their first names  Being seen as too familiar with the spectators of one team  Asking about fouls on one team and not the other

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