MIES (Switzerland) - Experts analyze all BCL games each week. In order to improve the understanding of referees' decisions and to increase transparency towards our fans, we publish some of those 'tough calls', together with an explanation.

Tough Call 1: Limoges CSP vs Galatasaray Nef - Shot Clock Violation

The Yellow team make a throw-in with 1.2 seconds on the shot clock. Yellow 6 receives the ball and passes it back to Yellow 11, who attempts a 3-point shot. The shot clock signal sounds and the referee calls a shot clock violation.

Article 29.1.1    To constitute a shot for a 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.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The ball was released for the shot before the signal and the ball touched the ring. Therefore, this is not a shot clock violation, and the game should have continued.

Tough Call 2: Hapoel Atsmon Holon vs JDA Bourgogne Dijon - Jump Ball Situation and Shot Clock

White 5 attempts a 2-point shot, the ball bounces on the rim and lodges between the rim and the backboard with the shot clock showing 18 seconds. The referees call a jump ball situation. As the alternating possession arrow favours the White team, the referees award a throw-in to the White team with 14 seconds on the shot clock.

Article 12.4        A jump ball situation occurs when:

• A live ball lodges between the ring and the backboard except:
  ▬ Between free throws,
  ▬ After the last free throw followed by a throw-in from the throw-in line in the
  team’s frontcourt.

Article 29.2.7    After the ball has touched the ring of the opponents’ basket, the shot clock shall be reset to:
• 24 seconds, if the opponents’ team gains control of the ball.
• 14 seconds, if the team which regains control of the ball is the same team that was in control of the ball before the ball touched the ring.

Article 50.4        The shot clock operator shall be provided with a shot clock which shall be stopped and reset to 14 seconds, with 14 seconds visible, when:

• The team that previously did not have the control of the ball shall be awarded a frontcourt throw-in because of a:
  ▬ Personal foul or violation (including for the ball having gone out-of-bounds),
  ▬ Jump ball situation.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees. The White team lost the control of the ball with the shot, the ball touched the rim and then lodged between the ring and the backboard. This is a jump ball situation. The game must be resumed according to the alternating possession procedure. The arrow favoured the White team and as the White team regained a new control of the ball, they will be awarded a throw-in from behind the opponents’ endline, close to the backboard but not directly behind it, and with 14 seconds on the shot clock.

Tough Call 3: Bahcesehir College vs Telekom Baskets Bonn - Shot Clock

The Black team has a throw-in with 20 second to the end of the second quarter. Black 4 passes the ball to the court. White 9 first taps the ball and then he holds it and passes it to his teammate White 0. However, the ball is tapped again by Black 7 before leaving the court. The referees award a throw-in to the White team. One of the referees sees that the shot clock operator resets the shot clock to 14 seconds (who thinks that the throw-in is a new team control for the White team). The referee asks to switch off the shot clock, thus allowing the White team the remaining time until the end of the quarter.

Article 29.1.1    29.1.1 Whenever:
• A player gains control of a live ball on the court, that team must attempt a shot for a goal within 24 seconds.

Article 14.1.1    14.1.1 Team control starts when a player of that team is in control of a live ball by holding or dribbling it or has a live ball at his/her disposal.

Outcome: Correct decision from the referees.  When White 9 held the ball in his hands and directed it towards his teammate, the White team gained a new control of a live ball on the court, so they have 24 seconds to shoot. The throw-in for the White team does not constitute a new team control as the team control had already been established by White 9 on the court.