20 October, 2020
09 May, 2021
Referee
15/01/2021
Tough Calls
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Tough Calls - Gameday 10

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: SIG Strasbourg vs VEF Riga - UF

In the last minute of the game, White 3 secures a defensive rebound and starts the offensive transition. Blue 4 comes close to him and a contact occurs. The referees call a personal foul to Blue 4. 

Article 37.1.1 An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact which, in the judgement of a referee is:

  • An unnecessary contact caused by the defensive player in order to stop the progress of the offensive team in transition.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The illegal contact created by Blue 4 is an unnecessary contact in order to stop the progress of the White team in transition, so an unsportsmanlike foul should have been called. White 3 should have been awarded 2 free throws, followed by a White team throw-in at the throw-in line in their frontcourt and 14 seconds on the shot clock. 

According to the IRS rule, the following game situation may be reviewed:

F.3.3    During any time of the game,

  • whether a personal, unsportsmanlike or disqualifying foul met the criteria for such a foul or shall be upgraded or downgraded or shall be considered as a technical foul.




 

Tough Call 2: Igokea vs Limoges CSP - Fake being fouled

During the first quarter, the referee considers that White 23 has faked being fouled by moving his head up and therefore gives him a warning, making the ‘fake being fouled’ signal. White 23 and the White team Head Coach were informed of this decision as soon as the ball became dead and the game clock was stopped. This warning applies to all the White Team members for similar actions until the end of the game.

In the third quarter, when the White team is in control of the ball in their frontcourt with 8 seconds on the shot clock, the referee considers that again, White 23 fakes being fouled by moving his head up and calls a technical foul to him. 

Article 36.2.1 A technical foul is a player non-contact foul of a behavioural nature including, but not limited to:

  • Fake being fouled.

 Article 36.3.2 The opponents shall be awarded 1 free throw. The game shall be resumed as follows:

  • The free throw shall be administered immediately. After the free throw, the throw-in shall be administered by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball when the technical foul was called, from the place nearest to where the ball was located when the game was stopped.

Article 29.2.3 Whenever the game is stopped by a referee for a technical foul committed by the team in control of the ball, the game shall be resumed with a throw-in from the place nearest to where the game was stopped. The shot clock shall not be reset but shall continue from the time it was stopped.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. Any Red team player shall attempt one free throw with no line-up and the ball shall be awarded to the White team for a throw-in at the place nearest where the ball was located when the technical foul was called with 8 seconds on the shot clock.

 

Tough Call 3: Peristeri vs Rytas Vilnius - Cylinder principle

Blue 5 receives the ball from a throw-in and dribbles with his back to the basket while being guarded by White 0. Blue 5 ends his dribble and the referees call a travelling violation. Afterwards, White 2 tries to take the ball away from Blue 5, who reacts swinging his elbow against his opponent. After the IRS review, the referees consider that Blue 5 committed an unsportsmanlike foul. 

Article 33.1 The defensive player may not enter the cylinder of the offensive player with the ball and cause an illegal contact when the offensive player is attempting a normal basketball play within his cylinder. The boundaries of the cylinder of the offensive player with the ball are:

  • The front by the feet, bent knees and arms, holding the ball above the hips,
  • The rear by the buttocks, and
  • The sides by the outer edge of elbows and legs.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The first infraction was an illegal contact created by White 0 for encroaching Blue 5 cylinder and creating a contact against him when Blue 5 was still with his back to the opponents’ basket. Therefore, a personal foul should have been called to White 0. The ball should have been awarded to the Blue team for a throw- in at the place closest to where the foul was committed with 14 seconds on the shot clock.

 

Tough Call 4: Darüssafaka Tekfen vs Happy Casa Brindisi - Verticality and technical foul

Green 12 drives to the basket and after beating White 7 with a spin move, White 10 tries to prevent the goal. The referee calls a personal foul in the act of shooting to White 7 and awards 2 free throws to Green 12. 

Article 33.2 During the game, each player has the right to occupy any position (cylinder) on the playing court not already occupied by an opponent.

This principle protects the space on the floor which he occupies and the space above him when he jumps vertically within that space. The defensive player must not be penalised for leaving the floor vertically (within his cylinder) or having his hands and arms extended above him within his own cylinder. 

Before Green 12 attempts his first free throw, one of the referees calls a technical foul to the White team Head Coach. 

Article 36.2.2  A technical foul by any person permitted to sit on the team bench is a foul for disrespectfully communicating with or touching the referees, the commissioner, the table officials or the opponents, or an infraction of a procedural or an administrative nature. 

Article 36.3.2  The opponents shall be awarded 1 free throw. The game shall be resumed as follows:

  • The free throw shall also be administered immediately, regardless whether the order of any other possible penalties for any other fouls has been determined or whether the administration of the penalties has been started. After the free throw for a technical foul, the game shall be resumed by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball when the technical foul was called, from the place where the game has been interrupted for the technical foul penalty.

Outcome: The personal foul called to White 7 was an incorrect decision from the referees. The defender didn’t create any illegal contact against Green 12. Once the personal foul had been called, the game was resumed according to the rules. First, any Green team player shall attempt one free throw for the technical foul with no line-up, as the penalty for a technical foul must be administered immediately. Afterwards, Green 12 shall attempt the 2 free throws for the personal foul.