Tough calls: play-offs 2025, part three

Photo: Gary Forster

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.

1. In the offense, Yellow 11 passed defender Black 31, who stopped Yellow 11 from behind with both hands, while he was moving towards the basket. Referees call a personal foul by Black 31, and immediately upgrade it to an Unsportsmanlike foul by Black 31.

   
   

FIBA OBRI 37.1.1. An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact which, in the judgement of a referee is:

• Contact with an opponent and not legitimately attempting to directly play the ball

within the spirit and intent of the rules.

Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Black 31 grabs Yellow 11 from behind, didn’t touched the ball. Correct Unsportsmanlike foul calling process. Two free throws shall be awarded to the Yellow 11 who was fouled, followed by: A throw-in from the throw-in line in the Yellow team’s frontcourt.

2. Black 0 in offense, receives a pass, with left as a pivot foot. When he starts a dribble against defender from the White team, he lifts the left foot before the ball was released from the Black 0 hand(s). Referees leave situation without a call.

FIBA OBRI 25.1.1. Travelling is the illegal movement of one foot or both feet beyond the limits outlined in this article, in any direction, while holding a live ball on the playing court.

FIBA OBRI 25.2.1. Establishing a pivot foot by a player who catches a live ball on the playing court.

A player who catches the ball while standing with both feet on the floor:

• ▬ The moment one foot is lifted, the other foot becomes the pivot foot.

• ▬ To start a dribble, the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released from the hand(s).

Outcome: incorrect decision from the referees. Black 0, when he started to dribble, lifted his pivot foot before the ball was released from his hands. It means- he makes a travelling violation. Referees should call this violation.

3. Black team in offense, Black 22 sets a screen for his teammate Black 1, who starts an act of shooting. In an act of shooting moment, defender Red 31 held Black 22, hindering his progress to the basket. Black 1 shot was successful. Referees call a defense foul by Red 31 and count basket.

FIBA OBRI 15.1.2. The act of shooting on a shot:

1. Begins when the player starts, in the judgement of a referee, to move the ball upwards towards the opponents’ basket.

   
   

FIBA OBRI 33.7. Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court. 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.

• A player who is legally screened is responsible for any contact with the player who has set the screen .

Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Red 31 makes a holding foul to Black 22, who sets a legal screen in moment, when Black 1 already started an act of shooting. As shot was successful, basket valid, there was a personal foul by Red 31, and ball, because the Red team has not yet reached the foul limit, for throw-in from side line in the Black team’s frontcourt.

4. White team in offense make a shot from corner. Green 32 and White 19 go for a rebound. White 19 jumps, grabs the ball and makes a shot. During this jump, Green 32 goes under the White 19, makes a contact and both players fall down. Referees call an act of shooting foul by Green 32.

FIBA OBRI 33.2. During the game, each player has the right to occupy any position (cylinder) on the playing court not already occupied by an opponent. As soon as the player leaves his vertical position (cylinder) and body contact occurs with an opponent who had already established his own vertical position (cylinder), the player who left his vertical position (cylinder) is responsible for the contact.

FIBA OBRI 33.6.. If a player has taken off and landed but his momentum causes him to contact 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.

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 15.1.2 . The act of shooting on a shot :

1. Begins when the player starts, in the judgement of a referee, to move the ball upwards towards the opponents’ basket.

Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Defender Green 32 goes under White 19, who jumps from behind, and causes a contact, when White 19 already has a ball. Green 32 is responsible for this contact, and as White 19 starts an act of shooting, Green 32 was penalized by personal foul in an act of shooting. White 19 awarded with two free throws.

Author: Oskars Lucis, ENBL Head of referees