MIES (Switzerland) - Each week, experts are analyzing 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.

Tough Call 1: Tofas Bursa vs AEK - Shooter's Foul

Black 2 dribbles in transition and makes a lay-up. A contact occurs against Green 17 and the referees call an offensive foul. The officials met and decided that the basket was valid and called a personal foul to Black 2.

Article 4.1.3 Team control ends when:
• The ball has left the player's hand(s) on a shot for a goal or for a free throw.

Article 10.4 The ball does not become dead and the goal counts if made when:
• The ball is in flight on a shot for a goal and a referee blows his/her whistle.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The ball had been released on a shot for a field goal before the contact occurred, so the foul was not a team control foul. Black 2’s basket is valid and Black 2 is charged with a personal foul. As the Black team are not in the team foul penalty situation yet (this was their second foul in the 4^th quarter), the game shall be resumed with a throw-in by the Green team from behind their endline as after any successful field goal.

Tough Call 2: Igokea m:tel vs Hapoel Atsmon Holon - Basketball Interference

Purple 1 dribbles and makes a lay-up. The referee calls a personal foul to White 10. The ball enters the basket, but the referees cancel it and award 2 free throws to Purple 1.

Article 31.2.5 When:
• A referee has blown his/her whistle while:
- The ball was in the hands of a player in the act of shooting, or
- The ball was in flight on a shot for a goal or on a last free throw,
No player shall touch the ball after it has touched the ring while it still has the
possibility to enter the basket.

                               All restrictions related to goaltending and interference shall apply

Article 16.1.1 A goal is made when a live ball enters the basket from above and remains within or passes through the basket entirely.

Article 10.3 The ball becomes dead when:

• The ball in flight on a shot for a goal is touched by a player from either team after:
  - A referee blows his/her whistle.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The foul was committed on a player in the act of shooting. After the ball had been released for a goal, and after the referee’s whistle, Purple 20 touched the ball, so it became dead, and the basket is not valid. The game shall be resumed with 2 free throws for Purple 1.

Tough Call 3: Darussafaka vs S.L. Benfica - Landing Foul

Green 15 attempts a jump shot. The ball enters the basket, and the referee calls a personal foul to White 96.

Article 33.6 A player who has jumped into the air from a place on the court has the right to land again at the same place.
He has the right to land on another place on the court provided that the landing place and the direct path between the take-off and landing place is not already occupied by an opponent(s) at the time of take-off.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. White 96 occupied the place from where Green 15 jumped and did not respect his right to land at the same place. 3 points were awarded to Green 15 and the game was resumed with 1 free throw for this same player.

Tough Call 4: Pinar Karsiyaka vs UCAM Murcia - Goaltending

White 3 dribbles to the basket and makes a lay-up. The referee calls a personal foul to Red 11. The officials met and decided that the basket was valid and White 3 should attempt 1 free throw.

Article 31.1.2 Goaltending occurs during a shot for a goal when a player touches the ball while it is completely above the level of the ring and:
• It is on its downward flight to the basket, or
• After it has touched the backboard

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. Red 18 touched the ball after the ball had touched the backboard. This is a goaltending violation. The basket is valid, and the game shall be resumed with 1 free throw for White 3.