
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.
Yellow team is on offense, there is a pass to Yellow 4. Black 21 tries to catch the ball, but only touches it without control. Yellow 4 gets back a ball close to the centre line, and after steps on to the back court. Referees call Yellow 4 back court violation.
FIBA OBRI 30.1.2. A team in control of a live ball in the frontcourt has caused the ball to be illegally returned to its backcourt, if a player of that team is the last to touch the ball in his frontcourt and the ball is then first touched by a player of that team:
Who has part of his body in contact with the backcourt, or
After the ball has touched the backcourt of that team.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Even though Black 21 touched a ball, Yellow 4 was the last who touched ball in his frontcourt and first one, who touched a ball in his backcourt. The ball shall be awarded to the Black team for a throw-in in its frontcourt from the place nearest to the infraction.
White 31 wants to set a screen to his teammate White 21. In a moment of a screen, contact between White 31 and defender Black 9 happens. Referees stop a game, calling personal pushing foul by Black 3.
FIBA OBRI 33.15. 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 33.7. Legal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:
Was stationary (inside his cylinder) when contact occurred.
Had both feet on the floor when contact occurred.
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. Illegal screen by White 31 happened due to his primary defender Black 3 pushing him. Personal pushing foul by Black 3.
Blue 24 makes a shot, the ball misses the ring and is rebounded by Blue 15, who immediately makes a shot and scores a basket. Referees stop a game, calling shot clock violation and cancel a basket.
FIBA OBRI 29.1.1. Whenever:
A player gains control of a live ball on the playing court,
On a throw-in, the ball touches or is legally touched by any player on the playing
court and the team of that player taking the throw-in remains in control of the
ball, that team must attempt a shot for a field goal within 24 seconds.
To constitute a shot for a field goal within 24 seconds:
The ball must leave the player's hand(s) before the shot clock signal sounds, and
After the ball has left the player's hand(s), the ball must touch the ring or enter the basket.
FIBA OBRI 2.1.2. When a shot for a field goal is attempted near the end of the 24-second period and the shot clock signal sounds while the ball is in the air:
If the ball misses the ring, a violation has occurred.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Blue 15 got a rebound and made a shot after shot clock signal sounded, violation had occurred. Basket was cancelled and throw in from side line for White team was awarded.
Black 12 makes a shot, while defender White 19 steps under him. The ball goes into a basket. Referees call act of shooting foul by White 19, count the basket and award one additional free throw.
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 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 successful, 1 free throw.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. White 19 was stepping under Black 12, before he landed with both feet on the floor, which classifies as an act of shooting landing personal foul.
Black 23 receives a pass from his teammate and makes a shot. After he releases the ball, there is a contact with defender Yellow 2. Referees call offensive foul by Black 23.
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.
FIBA OBRI 33.2. The offensive player, whether on the floor or airborne, shall not cause contact with the defensive player in a legal guarding position by:
Using his arms to create more space for himself (pushing off).
Spreading his legs or arms to cause contact during or immediately after a shot for a field goal.
FIBA OBRI 33.3. A defensive player has established an initial legal guarding position when:
He is facing his opponent, and
He has both feet on the floor.
FIBA OBRI 33.4. The player with the ball must expect to be guarded and must be prepared to stop or change his direction whenever an opponent takes an initial legal guarding position in front of him, even if this is done within a fraction of a second.
When judging a charge/block situation involving a player with the ball, a referee shall use the following principles :
The defensive player must establish an initial legal guarding position by facing
the player with the ball and having both feet on the floor.
Contact must occur on the torso, in which case the defensive player would be considered as having been at the place of contact first.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Yellow 2 had a legal guarding position, when Black 23 made a contact, which is then considered as an Offensive Personal foul. As the ball was already released when a contact occurred, there would be two free throws in case Black team would have 5 team fouls, or throw-in for Yellow team otherwise.
Black 1 makes a shot. Defender White 7 goes under shooter. Referees call act of shooting foul by White 7, award two free throws for Black team.
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 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 2-point field goal area is unsuccessful, 2 free throws.
FIBA OBRI 33.15. 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.
Outcome: correct decision from the referees. White 7 made an illegal contact with a shooter. Correct teamwork by the referees, paying attention that Black 1 stepped on the the three-point line. Referees awarded two free throws for Black 1.
Author: Oskars Lucis, ENBL Head of referees