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Tough Calls
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Tough Calls: Round of 16 Week 5

MIES (Switzerland) - Experts analyze all BCL games each week. In order to improve the understanding of referees' decisions and to increase transparency towards our fans, we publish some of those 'tough calls', together with an explanation.

Tough Call 1: Darussafaka Lassa vs Surne Bilbao - Interference

White 19 attempts a last free throw. The ball bounces on the rim and Black 30 taps the ball away from the basket. The referee calls a violation and awards 1 point. The Black team Head Coach requests a Head Coach Challenge. After the review, the referees decide that there was no interference and award the Black team a throw-in.

Art. 31.2.4          Interference occurs when:
• A defensive player touches the ball or the basket while the ball is within the basket, thus preventing the ball from passing through the basket.

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: Initial incorrect decision from the referee as the tap, made by Black 30, was legal because the ball was completely above the level of the rim. An interference violation called by a referee is one of the situations subject to a Head Coach Challenge. After the review, the decision was corrected following the right protocol. The point for the free throw was cancelled, and the Black team were awarded a throw-in from the place closest to where the ball was when the game was interrupted as they had the control of the ball when the referee blew his whistle and stopped the game.

 

Tough Call 2: JDA Bourgogne Dijon vs Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem - Blocking Foul

White 20 drives to the basket and attempts a shot. A contact with Black 24 occurs and the referee calls an offensive foul to White 20 for charging his opponent, who was outside the no-charge semicircle.

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.
• Having established a legal guarding position, the defensive player may turn
within his/her cylinder to avoid injury.

Article 33.6        An opponent may not move into the path of a player after that player has jumped into the air.

Outcome: Incorrect decision by the referee. Black 24 was still moving and created a contact against the airborne shooter. This is a blocking foul, and 2 free throws should have been awarded to White 20.

 

Tough Call 3: Telekom Baskets Bonn vs BAXI Manresa - Goaltending

White 0 drives to the basket and makes a lay-up. The shot is blocked by Red 00.

Article 31.2.1    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: Incorrect decision from the referees. This is a goaltending violation, and 2 points should have been awarded to White 0.

 

 

Tough Call 4: Hapoel Atsmon Holon vs SIG Strasbourg - Foul in the act of shooting

Blue 3 attempts a 3-point shot. One of the referees calls a foul to White 11.

Article 34.1.1    A personal foul is a player’s illegal contact with an opponent, whether the ball is live or dead.

Outcome: Correct decision by the referee. White 11 created an illegal contact by hitting the right arm of the shooter at the start of the shooting motion. 3 free throws for Blue 3.