MIES (Switzerland) - Experts analyze all Basketball Champions League, powered by Ameresco SUNEL games each week. In order to improve the understanding of referees' decisions and to increase transparency, we publish some of those Tough Calls, along with an explanation.
TC1: Bnei Penlink Herzliya vs. La Laguna Tenerife - Foul during shot
Blue #35 receives a pass in the low post and tries to make a dunk. He scores and there is no call from the referees.
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 #21 hit the hand of the shooter and a personal foul should have been called.
TC2: Pallacanestro Trieste vs. Fitness First Wurzburg Baskets - No call
White #10 tries to make a dunk and the shot is blocked by Black #9. There is no call from the referees.
Article 34.1.1: A personal foul is a player’s illegal contact with an opponent, whether the ball is live or dead.
Outcome: Correct decision by the referees. Black 9 only touched the ball when blocking the shot.
TC3: Igokea m:tel vs. Galatasaray MCT Technic - Goaltending
White #12 receives the ball under the basket, jumps to shoot, the ball touches the backboard and then is blocked by Black #16. The referees let the play continue.
Article 31.2.1: Goaltending occurs during a shot for a 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
Outcome: Correct decision by the referees. When Black #16 blocked the shot, the ball was not completely above the level of the ring, so there was no goaltending violation.
TC4: Unicaja vs. Karditsa Iaponiki - Blocking foul
After a rebound, White #23 drives to the basket and attempts a shot. A contact with Green #33 occurs and the referee calls a blocking foul to Green #33.
Article 33.5: A player who has jumped into the air from a place on the court has the right to land again at the same place. He has the right to land on another place on the court provided that the landing place and the direct path between the take-off and landing place is not already occupied by an opponent(s) at the time of take-off.
If a player has taken off and landed but momentum causes contact with an opponent who has taken a legal guarding position beyond the landing place, the jumper is responsible for the contact.
An opponent may not move into the path of a player after that player has jumped into the air.
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 the shooting motion preceding the release of the ball for a goal.
Ends when the ball has left the player’s hand(s), or if an entirely new act of shooting is made and, in case of an airborne shooter, both feet have returned to the floor.
Outcome: Correct decision by the referee.
Green was not in a legal guarding position when White #23 took off for the shot and occupied a spot that was free at the moment of White #23 take-off.
Foul in the act of shooting as the shooter had not landed yet with both feet.
TC5: Dreamland Gran Canaria vs. SL Benfica - Manufactured shot
Red #12 is dribbling when a contact with defender Yellow #4 occurs. The referee calls a foul in the act of shooting and awards two free throws to Red #12.
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 the shooting motion preceding the release of the ball for a goal.
Ends when the ball has left the player’s hand(s), or if an entirely new act of shooting is made and, in case of an airborne shooter, both feet have returned to the floor.
Outcome: Yellow #4 commits a foul on Red #12.
However, Red #12 had not started the act of shooting when the illegal contact occurred, but he started an act of shooting movement afterwards.
The Red team should have been awarded a throw-in with 14 seconds on the shot clock.