04 October, 2022
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25/11/2022
Tough Calls
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Tough Calls - Week 6

 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 SIG Strasbourg - Travelling

White 3 receives the ball from the thrower-in and scores a basket.

Article 25.2.1 If the player who comes to a stop on his/her first step has both feet on the court or they touch the court simultaneously, he/she may pivot using either foot as his/her pivot foot.

- The moment one foot is lifted, the other foot becomes the pivot foot.
- To pass or shoot for a goal, the player may jump off a pivot foot, but neither foot may be returned to the court before the ball is released from the hand(s).

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. After coming to a stop, with both feet on the floor, White 3 lifted his right foot, thus, his left foot became his pivot foot. After that, he lifted his left foot, and returned it back to the court before releasing the ball for the shot. Travelling violation.

 

 Tough Call 2: Telekom Baskets Bonn vs AEK - Team control foul

White 70 drives to the basket being guarded by Black 20. A contact occurs and the referee calls a foul to White 70.

Article 33.1 The offensive player cannot spread his/her legs or arms outside of his/her cylinder
and cause an illegal contact with the defensive player in order to gain an additional space.

Article 33.2 The offensive player, whether on the court or airborne, shall not cause contact with
the defensive player in a legal guarding position by:
- Using his/her arms to create more space for himself (pushing off).

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees.  White 70 extended his arm outside of his cylinder and created an illegal contact against his defender and clearing the path to the basket.

 

Tough Call 3:  Limoges CSP vs VEF Riga  - Blocking foul

Yellow 13 receives a pass in the corner and starts to dribble parallel to the endline. Defender Black 4 tries to avoid his movement and a contact occurs, after which Yellow 13 leaves the court. The referee calls an out-of-bound violations and awards a throw-in to the Black team.

Article 33.9 Blocking is illegal personal contact which impedes the progress of an opponent with
or without the ball.
A player who is attempting to screen is committing a blocking foul if contact occurs when he/she is moving, and his/her opponent is stationary or retreating from him/her.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. Black 4 committed a blocking foul.

 

Tough Call 4: Reggio Emilia vs Pinar Karsiyaka - Airborne shooter

Green 3 jumps to attempt a jump shot. Defender White 23 tries to block the shot and a contact occurs. The referee calls a personal foul to White 23 and awards 3 free throws to Green 3.

Article 33.6 A player who has jumped into the air from a place on the court 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.
An opponent may not move into the path of a player after that player has jumped into
the air

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. White 23 moved into the path of Green 3 after the shooter had jumped into the air and the direct path between the take-off and landing places was not occupied by White 23 at the moment of take-off.

 

Tough Call 5: Tofas Bursa vs SIG Strasbourg - Head Coach’s Challenge

The ball goes out of bounds and the referee decides that the last player to touch the ball on the court was White 6. Therefore, a throw-in is awarded to the Blue team. The White Team Head Coach requests a Head Coach’s Challenge.

F.3.2 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:

  • To identify the player who has caused the ball to go out-of-bounds.

F.4.2 For the head coach's challenge the following procedure shall apply:

* 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: A head coach can request a head coach's challenge in one of the reviewable play situations stated in Appendix F.3. To do so, he/she shall establish visual contact with the nearest referee and ask clearly for his/her head coach`s challenge. He/she shall say loudly in English "challenge" and at the same time show the head coach's challenge signal (drawing a rectangular with their hands).

During the review, the referees found conclusive evidence that Blue 32 was the last player to touch the ball on the court. Therefore, the incorrect initial decision from the referees was corrected after the review and the ball was awarded to the White team for a throw-in.

 

Tough Call 6: Galatasaray nef vs Hapoel Atsmon Holon - Charge without the ball

Purple 32 receives the ball and drives to the basket for a lay-up. Once he is airborne a contact occurs with Red 3, and the referee calls a team control foul to Purple 32. The Purple Team Head Coach requests a Head Coach’s Challenge. The game was resumed with a Red team throw-in.

Article 33.3 A defensive player has established an initial legal guarding position when:
• He is facing his/her opponent, and
• He has both feet on the court.

Article 33.6 A player who has jumped into the air from a place on the court 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: First, Purple 32 committed a charging foul, as Red 3 had already established a legal guarding position at the time of Purple 32 take-off.

However, the contact occurred after the ball had left the shooter’s hands, so it is not a team control foul. Therefore, as the Purple team had already committed 4 fouls in the quarter, Red 3 should have been awarded 2 free throws.

None of these situations, who committed the foul,  if the foul in the shooting situation was committed before or after the ball was released for the shot, can be reviewed with the IRS or a Head Coach’s Challenge.