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: Aek Betsson BC v King Szczecin - Head Coach's Challenge

The referee calls a foul to Yellow 4 for holding Blue 21 and awards a 2-point basket to Blue 3 because he thought the act of shooting had already started when the foul away from the ball occurred.

Article 15.1.3: The act of shooting in a continuous movement on a drive to the basket or other moving shot starts when the ball has come to rest in the player’s hand(s), upon completion of a dribble or a catch in the air and the player begins, in the judgment of the referee, the shooting motion preceding the release of the ball for a goal.

Article 10.4: The ball does not become dead and the goal counts if made when the ball is in the control of a shooter for a goal who finishes his/her shot with a continuous motion which started before a foul is committed by any opponent player or on any person permitted to sit on the opponents’ team bench.

F 3.2  The following game situations may be reviewed when the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime:

• when a foul was committed away from a shooting situation: 
• whether the act of shooting had started when the foul was committed by an opponent of the shooter.

F 4.2 The time restrictions within Appendix F3 do not apply. The head coach’s challenge may be requested at any time in the game.

Outcome: The initial decision from the referees was incorrect. After the Head Coach Challenge review, the referees found conclusive evidence that Blue 3 had not started his act of shooting when Yellow 4 made the foul on Blue 21. The game will be resumed with a Blue team throw-in from the place closest to where the foul occurred, and 14 seconds displayed on the shot clock.

Tough Call 2: Le Mans Sarthe Basket v Unicaja - Foul in the Act of Shooting (a)

Green 1 dribbles the ball to his frontcourt. The referee calls a personal foul not in the act of shooting to White 12 on Green 1.

Article 15.1.3 :The act of shooting in a continuous movement on a drive to the basket or other moving shot starts when the ball has come to rest in the player’s hand(s), upon completion of a dribble or a catch in the air and the player begins, in the judgment of the referee, the shooting motion preceding the release of the ball for a goal.

Outcome: Incorrect decision from the referees. The ball had come to rest in Green 1 hands after finishing his dribble and he had begun the shooting motion when the foul occurred. Green 1 should have been awarded 3 free throws.

Tough Call 3: Le Mans Sarthe Basket v Unicaja - Foul in the Act of Shooting (b)

Green 55 dribbles the ball to his frontcourt. The referee calls a personal foul in the act of shooting to White 9 on Green 55.

Article 15.1.3:  The act of shooting in a continuous movement on a drive to the basket or other moving shot starts when the ball has come to rest in the player’s hand(s), upon completion of a dribble or a catch in the air and the player begins, in the judgment of the referee, the shooting motion preceding the release of the ball for a goal.

Outcome:  Correct decision from the referees. The ball had come to rest in Green 55 hands after finishing his dribble and he began the shooting motion when the foul occurred. Green 55 was awarded 3 free throws.