Tough Calls: December 1, 2025
- marisnoviks
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Tough Calls are sponsored by Fiziocentrs – a well known physiotherapy clinic in Latvia. The videos shown below will help to understand the game, referees and rules.
Black 8 drives to the basket and tries to make a shot. Defender White 44 tries to make a foul by pushing before shot. Referees called a foul for an act of shooting by White 44.
FIBA OBRI 15.1.2.. FIBA OBRI 15.1.2. The act of shooting on a shot:
Begins when the player starts, in the judgement of a referee, to move the ball upwards towards the opponents’ basket.
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.
FIBA OBRI 33.12. Pushing
Pushing is illegal personal contact with any part of the body where a player forcibly moves or attempts to move an opponent with or without the ball
FIBA OBRI 34.2.2. If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting, that player shall be awarded a number of free throws as follows:
If the shot released from the 3-point field goal area is unsuccessful, 3 free throws.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Black 8 holds ball and starts an act of shooting before White 44 made a foul – three free throws awarded for Black 8.
In Blue team offense, after screen Blue 28 moves to the basket, but defender White 00 stopped his movement by blocking him. After a contact Blue 28 falls down, referees call a defense blocking foul by White 00.
FIBA OBRI 33.9. Blocking
Blocking is illegal personal contact which impedes the progress of an opponent with or without the ball.
A player who is attempting to screen is committing a blocking foul if contact occurs when he is moving and his opponent is stationary or retreating from him.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. White 00 made an illegal contact with Blue 28, which impedes the progress of a Blue 28 without the ball. White 00 is penalized by personal defense foul and game restarts with a throw-in from sideline by Blue team.
In Yellow team offense, Yellow 54 sets a screen to his teammate Yellow 31 defending Black 5. Contact occurred between Yellow 54 and Black 5, at the same time Yellow 31 makes an open shot and scores. Referees call illegal screen by Yellow 54 and cancel a basket.
FIBA OBRI 33.7. Screening: Legal and illegal
Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.
Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
Was moving when contact occurred.
Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a
stationary opponent when contact occurred.
Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when
contact occurred.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Yellow 54 never set a legal screen, because moving when contact occured. Personal foul by Yellow 54, basket canceled.
Black 33 dribbles from backcourt to frontcourt, stops before the center line. With one feet steps into frontcourt, but immediately steps back to backcourt. Referees call a backcourt violation.
FIBA OBRI 30.01. Ball returned to the backcourt
Definition.
A team is in control of a live ball in its frontcourt when:
A player of that team is touching his frontcourt with both feet while holding,
catching or dribbling the ball in his frontcourt, or
The ball is passed between the players of that team in its frontcourt.
Outcome: incorrect decision from the referees. Black 33 didn’t touched frontcourt with both feets while holding a ball, should be a No call- legal play.
Close to end of the game, White team offense, White 9 sets a screen to defender Black 0. Contact occurred, referees call a personal foul for White 9 by illegal screen.
FIBA OBRI 33.7. Screening: Legal and illegal .
Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.
Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
Was moving when contact occurred.
Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a
stationary opponent when contact occurred.
Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when
contact occurred.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. White 9 never set a legal screen, because he was moving when contact occurred and didn’t respected the elements of time and distance of Black 0 motion. Personal foul by White 9 and a throw-in for Black team.
Author: Oskars Lucis, ENBL Head of Referees
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