MIES (Switzerland) - Each week, experts are analysing the games. In order to improve the understanding of referees' decisions and to increase the transparency towards our fans, we publish some of those "tough calls", together with an explanation.

Please find below last week's "tough calls":

Tough Call 1: Limoges CSP vs S.L. Benfica - Pushing

The Red team is on offence. Red 12 passes the ball to Red 1 and goes to make an on-ball screen. A contact occurs and the referee calls an offensive foul to Red 12.

Article 33.15:  Pushing is an illegal personal contact, with any part of the body, where a player forcibly moves or attempts to move an opponent with or without the ball

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The first illegal contact was created by Yellow 20, who pushed Red 12. Red 12 knocked down his opponent, Yellow 13, because of the first push. Yellow 20 should have been called a personal foul.

Tough Call 2: Reggio Emilia vs AEK - Holding

Black 1 taps the ball away from White 20 hands and both players try to catch the ball. A contact occurs and the referee calls an Unsportsmanlike Foul on White 20.

Article 33.14:  Holding is an illegal personal contact with an opponent that interferes with his/her
freedom of movement. This contact (holding) can occur on any part of the body.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The first illegal contact was created by Black 1 when he grabbed, with his right hand, his opponent, White 20, on the waist. The first illegal contact must be penalized, and a personal foul should have been called to Black 1.

Tough Call 3: Galatasaray nef vs Legia Warszawa - Charge/Block

White 31 drives to the opponents’ basket and a contact occurs with Green 31. The referee calls an offensive foul to White 31 for charging an opponent.

Article 33.4:  When judging a charge/block situation involving a player with the ball, a referee shall use the following principles:
• The defensive player must establish an initial legal guarding position by facing the player with the ball and having both feet on the court.
• The defensive player may remain stationary, jump vertically, move laterally or backwards in order to maintain the initial legal guarding position.
• When moving to maintain the initial legal guarding position, one foot or both feet may be off the court for an instant, as long as the movement is lateral or backwards, but not towards the player with the ball.
• Contact must occur on the torso, in which case the defensive player would be considered as having been at the place of contact first.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. Green 31 was moving and the contact did not occur on his torso. Green 31 committed a blocking foul and he should have been penalized with a personal foul.

Tough Call 4: SIG Strasbourg vs Tofas Bursa - Interference and Head Coach's Challenge

In the 7^th minute of the 4^th quarter, Blue 4 shoots for a goal. White 21 touches the ball with his hand and moves it away from the basket. The referees call a basketball interference with 3.36 on the game clock for the end of the 4^th quarter and award 2 points to Blue 4.

The White team Head Coach requests a Head Coach Challenge to review the violation.

Article 31.2.4: Interference occurs when:

• After a shot for a goal or the last free throw a player touches the basket or the backboard while the ball is in contact with the ring.

Article 3: Baskets comprise rings and nets

F 3.3: The following game situations may be reviewed when the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime:

              - whether a goaltending or basket interference violation was called correctly.

F.4.2: For the head coach’s challenge the following procedure shall apply:
• The head coach shall be granted only one head coach’s challenge in a game, regardless of whether the challenge is successful or not.
• Only the game situations as in the Appendix F.3 may be challenged.
• The time restrictions within Appendix F.3 do not apply. The head coach’s
challenge may be requested at any time in the game.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. Even if the violation was called when the game clock showed more than 2:00 in the 4^th quarter, the Head Coach can request a Head Coach’s Challenge in all the situations that can be reviewed with the IRS, without the time restrictions that apply to the IRS review requested by the officials. The review confirmed that White 21 touched the basket (ring) while the ball was in contact with the ring. Blue 4 was correctly awarded 2 points.

Tough Call 5: SIG Strasbourg vs Tofas Bursa - Charge

White 11 drives to the basket, passes the ball to White 77, who attempts a 3-point field goal while the referee is making the “Fake Being Fouled” signal to Blue 11. The Blue team Head Coach expresses his disagreement with the warning and a technical foul is called to him.

Article 33.4:  When judging a charge/block situation involving a player with the ball, a referee shall use the following principles:
• The defensive player must establish an initial legal guarding position by facing the player with the ball and having both feet on the court.
• The defensive player may remain stationary, jump vertically, move laterally or backwards in order to maintain the initial legal guarding position.
• When moving to maintain the initial legal guarding position, one foot or both feet may be off the court for an instant, as long as the movement is lateral or backwards, but not towards the player with the ball.
• Contact must occur on the torso, in which case the defensive player would be considered as having been at the place of contact first.

Outcome:  Incorrect decision from the referees. Blue 11 had a legal guarding position. White 11 charged Blue 11 after the pass and an offensive foul should have been called to White 11 and the basket should have been cancelled.