20 October, 2020
09 May, 2021
23/10/2020
Tough Calls
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Tough Calls - Gameday 1

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 this week's "tough calls":

Tough Call 1: Dinamo Sassari vs Galatasaray - UF

After a field goal, Black 13 is returning to his backcourt when Green 23 extends his left arm and hits Black 13 on the neck without any reason. The referee calls a UF to Green 23. Instead of Black 13, the referees give the ball to Black 12 to attempt the two free throws with no line-up. The coach of the Green Team complains to the referee about Black 12 attempting the free throws and the referee calls a Technical Foul to him.

Article 37.1.1 Bullet 1 An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact which, in the judgement of a referee, is a contact with an opponent and not legitimately attempting to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules.

Article 37.2.2 Free throw(s) shall be awarded to the player who was fouled, followed by a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team’s frontcourt. The number of free throws shall be awarded as follows: If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting: 2 free throws.

Article 44.1 Bullet 4 Referees may correct an error if a rule is inadvertently disregarded in the following situations:

  • Permitting the wrong player to attempt a free throw(s).

Article 44.2.1 To be correctable the above-mentioned errors must be recognized by the referees, commissioner if present, or the table officials before the ball becomes live following the first dead ball after the game clock has started following the error.

F 3.3 Bullet 5 The following game situations may be reviewed:

  • to identify the correct free-throw shooter

Article 44.3.3 Permitting the wrong player to attempt a free throw(s).

The free throw(s) attempted, and the possession of the ball if part of the penalty, shall be cancelled and the ball shall be awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the free-throw line extended.

Outcome: The UF called to Green 23 was correct. Black 13 should be awarded two free throws followed by a throw-in for the Black Team from the throw-in line in their frontcourt and 14 seconds on the shot clock.

However, the referees allowed the wrong player (Black 12) to attempt the two free throws. This is a correctable error and it can still be checked in the IRS and corrected when the coach informed the referee. The free throws attempted by the wrong player (Black 12) and the possession of the ball as part of the penalty for the UF should have been cancelled and the ball should have been awarded to the Green Team for a throw-in from the free-throw line extended.

 

Tough Call 2: Pszczólka Start Lublin vs Casademont Zaragoza - IRS

The referee calls a foul to White 8 on Red 55, who is in the act of shooting. He decides that Red 55 was attempting a 2-point shot. After a short talk with the other two referees, they decide to use the IRS.

F 3.3 Bullet 2 The following game situations may be reviewed:

  • During any time of the game, whether 2 or 3 free throws shall be awarded, after a foul was called on a shooter for an unsuccessful field goal

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The IRS showed conclusive evidence that Red 55 was attempting a 3-point shot. He will be awarded 3 free throws.

 

Tough Call 3: Pszczólka Start Lublin vs Casademont Zaragoza - Foul not in the Act of Shooting

Red 9 pushes White 9, who as a consequence, creates a contact against his own team-mate White 5, who is in the act of shooting. The ball doesn’t enter the basket.

The referees call a personal foul to Red 9 and, as the Red team are in the team foul penalty situation, they award 2 free throws to White 9.

Article 34.2.1 If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting:

  • The game shall be resumed with a throw-in by the non-offending team at the place nearest to the infraction.
  • If the offending team is in the team foul penalty situation, then Art. 41 shall apply.

Article 41.2.1 When a team is in the team foul penalty situation, all following player personal fouls committed on a player not in the act of shooting shall be penalised by 2 free throws, instead of a throw-in. The player on whom the foul was committed shall attempt the free throws.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees.  Red 9 illegal contact was committed on a player not in the act of shooting. White 9 will attempt two free throws because Red team was in the team foul penalty situation.

Moreover, if the ball had entered the basket, the basket would have counted and 3 points would have been awarded to White 5 (Article 10.4 Bullet 3 - The ball does not become dead and the goal counts if made when the ball is in the control of a player in the act of shooting for a field goal who finishes his shot with a continuous motion which started before a foul is charged on any opponents’ player or on any person permitted to sit on the opponents’ team bench). Then, White 9 would have attempted the two free throws as a consequence of the personal foul.

 

Tough Call 4: Pszczólka Start Lublin vs Casademont Zaragoza - UF

Red team is in control of the ball. White 8 deflects a pass, and when he and his opponent, Red 8, try to gain the control of the ball, Red 8 extends his right arm outside his cylinder and creates a contact against White 8 face. The referees don’t call any infraction and the play continues 

Article 37.1.1  Bullet 4 - An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact which, in the judgement of a referee, is an illegal contact caused by the player from behind or laterally on an opponent who is progressing towards the opponent’s basket and there are no other players between the progressing player, the ball and the basket.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. A UF should have been called to Red 8 since the contact he created against White 8 is illegal and it was committed from behind on an opponent who had an open path to the opponent’s basket. White 8 should have been awarded two free throws, followed by a throw-in for the White team from the throw-in line in their front court with 14 seconds on the shot clock.