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: VEF Riga vs SIG Strasbourg - IRS

White 23 starts his act of shooting going for a lay-up and is fouled by Black 1. The ball doesn’t enter the basket but the referee understands that there has been a basketball interference violation and awards 2 points to the White Team. Immediately, the other two referees call his attention to inform him that there has been no violation and that 2 free throws should be awarded to White 23. After reporting to the Officials’ Table the personal foul, the referee is not sure who should attempt the 2 free throws and decides to check the IRS.

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

• During any time of the game, to identify the correct free-throw shooter.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. White 23 shall be awarded 2 free throws.

Tough Call 2: Türk Telekom vs Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem - UF and IRS

With 0.9 seconds to the end of the game, the White Team have the ball at their disposal for a throw-in at the baseline. The referee calls a foul to Black 11 for holding White 6 while the ball is still in the hands of the player taking the throw-in.

Article 37.1.1 Bullet 5:   An unsportsmanlike foul (UF) is a player contact which, in the judgement of a referee is:

• Contact by the defensive player on an opponent on the playing court when the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime, when the ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in and still in the hands of the referee or at the disposal of the player taking the throw-in.

Appendix F 3.3 – Bullet 3:   The following game situations may be reviewed:

• 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.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The illegal contact created by Black 11 meets one of the 5 criteria for a foul to be considered as Unsportsmanlike Foul. White 6 shall be awarded 2 free throws followed by a throw-in from the throw-in line in the team’s frontcourt. 

Tough Call 3: Rytas Vilnius vs Peristeri - Technical Foul

The referee calls a personal foul to Blue 5 for an illegal contact on the shooters, White 1, right forearm. The ball doesn’t enter the basket. After the call, Blue 5 complains in an open and demonstrative way and the referee calls a technical foul to him.

Article 36.2.1 Bullet 2:  A technical foul is a player non-contact foul of a behavioural nature including, but not limited to:

• Disrespectfully dealing and/or communicating with the referees, the commissioner, the table officials, the opponents or persons permitted to sit on the team benches.

Article 36.3.2 Bullet 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: Correct decision from the referees. Any White Team player shall attempt 1 free throw with no line-up for the technical foul, followed by 2 free throws by White 1 for the personal foul in an unsuccessful shot from the 2-pòint area.

Tough Call 4: CSP Limoges vs Igokea - Fake being fouled

The White Team has already received a warning for ‘fake being fouled’ and the warning has been communicated to the Head Coach. Later on, Red 16 receives the ball in the low post with his back to the opponent’s basket being guarded by White 8. There is an incidental contact suitable for post play and White 8 falls to the floor faking being fouled. The referee calls a technical foul to White 8.

Article 36.2.1 Bullet 8:  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 Bullet 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.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. Any Red Team player shall attempt 1 free throw with no line-up for the technical foul, followed by a Red Team throw-in from the place nearest to where the ball was located when the technical foul was called and 14 seconds on the shot clock, as it showed 13 seconds or less when the technical foul was called to the defensive team.