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', along with an explanation.

Tough Call 1: Falco Vulcano Szombathely vs. Le Mans Sarthe Basket - Travelling

Black 15 receives the ball, bounces it, and catches it in his hands. Then he makes a spin move, takes a hook shot and scores a basket.

Article 25.2.1: A player who catches the ball while standing with both feet on the court:

• The moment one foot is lifted; the other foot becomes the pivot foot.
• To pass or shoot for a goal, the player may jump off a pivot foot, but neither foot may be returned to the court before the ball is released from the hand(s)

Outcome: Incorrect decision by the referees. Black 15 finishes his dribble and catches the ball with both feet on the floor. When he lifts his right foot, his left foot becomes his pivot foot. He then lifts his pivot foot, and it touches the floor again before releasing the ball for the shot. This is a travelling violation; the basket shall not count and the Yellow team shall be awarded a throw-in from the free throw line extended.
 

Tough Call 2: Darüssafaka Lassa vs. VEF Riga - Basketball interference

White 4 drives towards their opponents’ basket and makes a lay-up. The ball is bouncing in the rim when his teammate, White 24, grabs the rim. The ball enters the basket, but the referees cancel it.

Article 31.2.4:  Interference occurs when:
• A player causes the basket to vibrate or grasps the basket in such a way that, in the judgement of a referee, the ball has been prevented from entering the basket or has been caused to enter the basket.

Article 31.2.3: If the violation is committed by an offensive player, no points can be awarded. The ball shall be awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the free-throw line extended, unless otherwise stated in these rules.

Outcome: Correct decision by the referees. The grabbing of the rim by White 24 made the whole backstop unit vibrate, thus causing the ball to enter the basket in the judgement of the referee. The basket shall not count and the Green team shall be awarded a throw-in from the free throw line extended.

Tough Call 3: Darüssafaka Lassa vs. VEF Riga - Screening

White 4 is dribbling the ball and makes a hand-off pass to his teammate White 55. A contact with Green 5 occurs and the referee calls a team control foul to White 4 for an illegal screen.

Article 33.7: Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
• Was moving when contact occurred.

Outcome: Correct decision by the referees. White 4 was moving when he screened Green 5. The ball shall be awarded to the Green team for a throw-in from the place closest to where the foul occurred.

Tough Call 4: Peristeri bwin vs. Unicaja - No foul and technical foul

Green 1 receives the ball and tries to make a dunk. Yellow 15 jumps to block the shot and the referees call a personal foul to Yellow 15. Afterwards, the referees call a technical foul to the Yellow team Head Coach for his complaints.

Article 34.1.1: A personal foul is a player’s illegal contact with an opponent, whether the ball is live or dead.

Outcome: Incorrect decision by the referees. Yellow 15 legally blocked the dunk attempt. As a consequence of this misjudgment, the Head Coach was penalized with a technical foul.