Is it just me or have you noticed lately that jump balls are called quicker than when you try to swat a mesquito, or are they and does it just seem to be as irrating as the mesquito's bite?

 

I must say it has been a few years ago since I played high school basketball (four score and seven years ago.......), but my memory isn't failing me that bad, and it seems to me that you would have to have a hold of the ball for SECONDS, not tenths of a second before the "stripped" birds of paradise would start tweeting their call.

 

I mean if you are going to blow the whistle on a tie up between players for tenths of a second on players rolling on the floor for a loose ball, or a blocked shot, then why not blow the same whistle when two players from the same team grab the ball on rebound? Isn't that considered traveling? Most times the players are doing the "mine mine mine" as they struggle for the ball for the same length of time as some of the calls on a player whose shot is stuffed. I mean it's embarassing enough to be blocked than to have the ref's blow the whistle and call a jump ball, as everyone has time to WHOOP it up.

 

Anyway just wondering if I am seeing something that is not reality to everyone else?

I really don't have a problem with the way they call held balls, and sometimes think that they wait too long.

 

I think that a quick whistle on a tie-up, or especially a scramble on the floor, discourages players from becoming hostile towards each other and probably thwarts a lot of potential physical contact problems up to and including starting a fight.

 

Evan McDole's ejection from the Brossart-Trinity 5th/3rd Semis game back in 2004 was a direct result of officials letting the melee on the floor for a loose ball go way too long, and could have been prevented by a quick whistle, for what was going to be a held ball anyway. How often do you see a player throw an elbow, or a kick etc.. in these situations?

 

When I coached I always wanted the officials to call a held ball when players were on the floor battling for the loose ball, whether both had clear possession or not. I think that was, and should be sort of an unwritten rule.

 

I'm sure that I'll get a lot of casual fans who disagree with me, but I think the quicker held ball whistle prevents a lot of would-be problems.

I really don't have a problem with the way they call held balls, and sometimes think that they wait too long.

 

I think that a quick whistle on a tie-up, or especially a scramble on the floor, discourages players from becoming hostile towards each other and probably thwarts a lot of potential physical contact problems up to and including starting a fight.

 

Evan McDole's ejection from the Brossart-Trinity 5th/3rd Semis game back in 2004 was a direct result of officials letting the melee on the floor for a loose ball go way too long, and could have been prevented by a quick whistle, for what was going to be a held ball anyway. How often do you see a player throw an elbow, or a kick etc.. in these situations?

 

When I coached I always wanted the officials to call a held ball when players were on the floor battling for the loose ball, whether both had clear possession or not. I think that was, and should be sort of an unwritten rule.

 

I'm sure that I'll get a lot of casual fans who disagree with me, but I think the quicker held ball whistle prevents a lot of would-be problems.

 

I totally agree with your thoughts. In fact when the ball is loose on the floor I think it should be similar to the hockey puck (along the boards) in that if the ref can't see the entire ball, then the whistle blows.

 

So if Player A dives for a loose ball and Player X dives too and the ball is under someone's armpit but not posssed the whistle should blow. It prevents injuries and pushing and shoving problems.

Thanks for the toughts on the topic, I can see the point of the quick whistle if it can avoid injury. I was looking it as rewarding defense without as much effort. I would put forth more injuries occur on the DIVE for the ball due to contact on the floor than pulling a ball away from another player. Basketball will always be a contact sport contrary to popular belief. My son has always been agressive diving for loose balls, and banging inside with bigger guys. The only real injury he got was going up for a high pass and coming down and tearing his patella tendon, and nobody was even near him, just the act of jumping. I do see your view, and that was purpose of the post, to spur thought. I will always want players to play aggressive, but never want ANYONE on ANY team to get hurt, trust me, watching my son sit his senior season. I would never wish that on anyone.

 

then why not blow the same whistle when two players from the same team grab the ball on rebound? Isn't that considered traveling?

 

No.

I was just talking to someone at last nights game about this very situation. Several times the ref called a jump ball without BOTH teams actually having their hands on the ball. Is it fair to player A who dives to the floor and gets possession of the ball to have the whistle blown because player B is diving towards him?

 

Here is a novel idea...how about it player B is out of control and going to cause injury then he gets called for a foul instead of being rewarded for his wreckless play?

 

I think sometimes the refs make a jump ball call to avoid making another call.

I was just talking to someone at last nights game about this very situation. Several times the ref called a jump ball without BOTH teams actually having their hands on the ball. Is it fair to player A who dives to the floor and gets possession of the ball to have the whistle blown because player B is diving towards him?

 

Here is a novel idea...how about it player B is out of control and going to cause injury then he gets called for a foul instead of being rewarded for his wreckless play?

 

I think sometimes the refs make a jump ball call to avoid making another call.

 

I'm guessing a directive has come down on this subject. They would rather fault on the side of caution and eliminate injuries and scuffles. I would prefer that they wait until its an actual held ball AND nail anyone with a foul that thinks the first guy down is fair game. Too often we see one kid get piled on without a foul being called.

I'm guessing a directive has come down on this subject. They would rather fault on the side of caution and eliminate injuries and scuffles. I would prefer that they wait until its an actual held ball AND nail anyone with a foul that thinks the first guy down is fair game. Too often we see one kid get piled on without a foul being called.

 

Exactly. You disagree but you really agree. The game should be played the way it was intended by the rules. There should be no held ball called if in fact there is no held ball.

 

A pile on is a foul and should be called on whoever makes the contact. Calling a jump ball is the easy way out. I tend to think if the refs had to toss the ball up at every jump ball then there would be far less held ball calls.

A player must pivot for it to be considered a walk. this I learned fro a ref.

No.

 

Correct me again if I am wrong, maybe the rule changed but if two players on the same team both grab the ball at the same time and hold onto it, it is a turnover? Maybe I have gotten to old and the rules change.

In my opinion, a jump ball should be awarded to the team who created the tie up. It should be treated just like a defensive stop with the basketball being awarded to the defensive team.

 

The possession arrow should not be used for tie ups.

A player must pivot for it to be considered a walk. this I learned fro a ref.

 

This makes no sense......Please explain.

From the NFHS Rules........

 

Rule 4 Sec 25 Held Ball

 

A held ball occurs when:

Art 1... Opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness.

 

Art 2... An opponent places his/her hand(s) on the ball and prevents an airborne player from throwing the ball or releasing it on a try.

 

 

I think the quick whistles are simply a precaution to prevent the undue roughness.

Correct me again if I am wrong, maybe the rule changed but if two players on the same team both grab the ball at the same time and hold onto it, it is a turnover? Maybe I have gotten to old and the rules change.

 

Two players holding the ball at the same time has never been a violation. The violation only occurs if either of them walk while maintaining possession of the ball. If simply having simultaneous possession were a violation, you could never hand the ball off to a player as he was going by you.

From the NFHS Rules........

 

Rule 4 Sec 25 Held Ball

 

A held ball occurs when:

Art 1... Opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness.

 

Art 2... An opponent places his/her hand(s) on the ball and prevents an airborne player from throwing the ball or releasing it on a try.

 

 

I think the quick whistles are simply a precaution to prevent the undue roughness.

 

"Opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball" quick whitstle IMO is before the opponents have hands FIRMLY on the ball. There is no rule about a quick whistle to prevent undue roughness. The held ball call is used a lot of times as a cop out call by the ref.