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: Nizhny Novgorod vs Falco Szombathely - Goal Tending

In the last 2 minutes of the fourth quarter, Black 5 makes a lay-up and White 18 blocks the shot. The referee calls a goal tending violation and awards 2 points to Black 5. 

Article 31.2.1 Goaltending occurs during a shot for a field 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.

The following game situations may be reviewed

F.3.2 When the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime:

• whether a goaltending or basket interference violation was called correctly.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The IRS was correctly used to determine that White 18 blocked the shot on its upward flight, so no violation had occurred. The 2 points are cancelled and as no team had control of the ball, the game was resumed according to the alternating possession procedure, throw-in for the Black team as they were entitled to the next alternating possession throw-in. However, the shot clock should show 20 seconds instead of 14, since the ball didn't touch the ring.

Tough Call 2: ERA Nymburk vs Tofas Bursa - Shot clock violation and IRS

During the third quarter, the referees call a shot clock violation because they understand that the yellow light on the backboard flashed on when the ball was still in contact with Green 0 hands. This player and the Green team Head Coach request the use of IRS to review the play. 

Article 29.1.1  To constitute a shot for a field goal within 24 seconds:

• The ball must leave the player's hand(s) before the shot clock signal sounds, and
• After the ball has left the player's hand(s), the ball must touch the ring or enter the basket.

Article 29.1.2  When the backboard is equipped with yellow lighting along the top edge of the perimeter, the lighting takes precedence over the shot clock signal sound. 

The following game situations may be reviewed:

F.3.2 When the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime,

• whether a shot for a successful field goal was released before the shot clock signal sounded.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The ball was still in contact with the shooter's hands when the yellow lighting on the backboard indicated the end of the shot clock period. This game situation can only be reviewed during the last 2 minutes of the fourth quarter or the last 2 minutes of the overtime.

Tough Call 3: Bakken Bears vs Iberostar Tenerife - Illegal Screen and TF

Near to the end of the second quarter, Black 25 is dribbling the ball. Black 10 moves to the corner and his teammate Black 11 tries to set a screen to his defender. There is a contact and the referees call an offensive foul, for illegal screening. 

Article 33.7     Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court. 

Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:

• Was moving when contact occurred.
• Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a stationary opponent when contact occurred.
• Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when contact occurred.

If the opponent is in motion, the elements of time and distance shall apply. The screener must leave enough space so that the player who is being screened is able to avoid the screen by stopping or changing direction.

The distance required is never less than 1 and never more than 2 normal steps.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. Black 11 didn’t allow enough time and distance when setting the screen on a moving opponent and he was even moving when the contact occurred. Team control foul for illegal screening. As a consequence of the Black Team Head Coach protests, a technical foul was called to him. Any White player team shall attempt 1 free throw and the ball will be awarded to the White team for a throw-in at the place nearest to where the foul occurred.

Tough Call 4: Tsmoki-Minsk vs AEK - Throw-in

White 4 receives the ball from the referee to take a throw-in and after some seconds the referee calls a violation. 

Article 17.3.1  The player taking the throw-in shall not:

• Take more than 5 seconds to release the ball.
• Step into the playing court while having the ball in his hand(s).
• Cause the ball to touch out-of-bounds, after it has been released on the throw-in.
• Touch the ball on the playing court before it has touched another player.
• Cause the ball to enter the basket directly.
• Move from the designated throw-in place behind the boundary line laterally in one or both directions, exceeding a total distance of 1m before releasing the ball. However, he is permitted to move directly backwards from the boundary line as far as circumstances allow.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. White 4 didn’t release the ball before 5 seconds and he also exceeded the allowed distance of 1m.