Basketball referee
A basketball referee is a person who oversees the observance of the rules and the order of the game in basketball . While in the English-speaking world there is usually a distinction between the referee as the head of a team of referees and the umpire as a "subordinate" referee, this distinction is not common in German-speaking countries. The referees to stand by here the judges , who are primarily responsible for stopping the time and the letter of the points quote. Basketball is considered to be one of the most difficult sports for referees, as it has a comparatively high game speed and a large number of (often very case-specific) rules must be applied.
While a referee team in the amateur leagues usually consists of two people , three referees are used in professional leagues such as the NBA , but also in many FIBA- regulated games. All members of a referee team are officially equal in decisions and only differ in their respective position on the field in their area of responsibility.
equipment
clothing
In US college leagues, the referees always wear black and white striped T-shirts tucked into their trousers with a thick, black vertical stripe on the side (see picture). In addition, black, long pants and black shoes are worn. In the NBA , the black and white shirt gives way to a light gray top with black sleeves and black shoulders. The referee's number is on his back and the NBA logo is traditionally emblazoned on his chest. On the other hand, in NBA Summer League games , sleeves and shoulders are blue.
At international competitions, FIBA referees usually wear a dark gray top with green vertical stripes on the side. The national referees of the DBB , on the other hand, can be recognized by their single-colored, orange T-shirts, which are also available in gray. In contrast to American referees, it is common to wear a belt at DBB.
Tools
As in many other sports, a whistle is a basic requirement of a referee in basketball. This is used to interrupt the game in the event of a foul or a rule deviation (e.g. time violations ). The type of irregularity is indicated by clearly defined hand signals.
In higher leagues such as the NBA or the EuroLeague , the officials are also provided with a special clock called the Precision Timing System (PTS) to stop or restart the music box directly from the field without waiting for the referees have to.
Areas of responsibility and positions
The referees must ensure that the game can run smoothly. In addition to managing the game, this also includes dealing with players and spectators. The referees are also responsible for ensuring that the field and equipment are in perfect and safe condition. Problems that prevent the game from being played safely must be resolved by the referees. Quite often, the referees' tasks go beyond the mere management of the game, as they have to deal with unforeseen situations that could have an impact on the game.
Two referees
A basketball game can be directed by either two or three referees. In the two-referee system, each official occupies either the “leading” or the “following” position. While the lead referee is at the base line of the defending team, the following referee positions himself approximately at the level of the free-throw line. As soon as the other basket is played, the leader becomes the next referee and vice versa. Each position has its own tasks and areas of responsibility. Each referee is responsible for the baselines on his side of the field, as well as one sideline. The referees swap their halves of the pitch several times during the game (usually when a defensive foul is called) in order to prevent the scenes of one team from always being judged by the same official.
Three referees
If the team of referees consists of three people, the positioning described above is slightly modified. As you can see in the picture, the “following” referee is positioned in the middle of the field, roughly level with the three-point line. The lead referee remains on the baseline of the defending team. In addition to these two positions, there is also the position of the central referee in this system. This positions itself on the opposite sideline, approximately at the level of the free-throw line. When the ball changes possession, the leading and following referees usually swap roles while the central referee retains his position.
trouble
The direction of the game in basketball poses specific difficulties. In order to keep the game flowing, the referees usually have to make a decision in a few seconds whether or not a rule violation has occurred. The correct distinction between defensive and offensive foul is particularly important, as it has to be determined which player caused the contact. For this purpose, the referees can fall back on the video evidence.
Although basketball is often perceived as a "zero contact sport", the officials usually do not punish slight contact or light "pressure" against the opponent. A central aspect of the game management is the regulation of the hardness with which the players approach.
The job of the basketball referee is further complicated by the fact that (unlike other sports such as soccer or baseball ) the spectators, coaches and bench players are only a few meters away from the game and can assess the performance of the referee even more easily. In order to defend themselves against inappropriate behavior, referees may expel spectators from the hall.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Referee training ( memento of the original from October 1, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , German Basketball Association, last accessed on September 29, 2017
- ^ Website of the manufacturer of PTS , precisiontime.com, last accessed on September 29, 2017
