Matchup Proximity

Today’s high school basketball officiating relies on the lead official too much, especially on any play moving toward the basket. Any crew of 3 that says all plays to the basket are the lead’s responsibility are just asking for missed calls and unnecessary problems during a game.

Crews of 3 are not crews of 2. The third official added, usually called “the center”, allows for the crew to adopt different positioning and mechanics than a game with two referees. These different positioning and mechanics strategies can take pressure off the lead and allow for all three referees to share in officiating plays on the floor and in the air, backcourt, frontcourt, or transition.

Although this term hasn’t made it to any rule manual – yet – I like to refer to “matchup proximity” when we discuss decision responsibility in our crew’s pre-game.

“Matchup proximity” suggests to the crew that the referee closest to the competitive matchup, with eyes on the ball, should be the official with primary responsibility to put air in the whistle or not.

For example, “matchup proximity” suggests that a block/charge decision within a few feet of an official should be that referee’s decision and call, without a double whistle being blown.

If the ball moves from the trail’s primary coverage area toward the lead, then that is the time you might experience a double whistle. Plays that occur in what are sometimes called “seams of the floor”, or zones that border two primary coverage areas, are plays that warrant both officials posting, making good eye contact, and deciding who had the best look at the play (which usually means who had the best look at the defense and/or the ball).

If the ball is dribbled on the center’s side of the floor, and the lead has not rotated over to ball side, then matchup proximity suggests that the center referee that play all the way to the basket. In the high school game, there are too many whistles coming from the lead across the lane when the center is in better position to referee the play toward the basket. If the contact occurs deep in the lane, meaning near the end line, then the lead could have the whistle on the play, exercising the principle of matchup proximity.

If the lead initiates a rotation, then you now have two referees on the strong side of the floor. That means you are back to figuring out what official has the best matchup proximity of the two (who saw the defense and/or the ball best).

Lane whistles, especially those plays in the shallow (near the free throw line) to the mid-lane area, are best blown by either the center or the trail (especially if the trail is positioned around the 28-foot area). Again, in high school basketball, we have too many whistles in the mid- to shallow lane coming from the lead. If the contact happens deep in the lane, then the lead can take that play. Otherwise, let the center and trail decide shallow lane plays.

There are times when matchup proximity does not apply.

Whenever a secondary defender becomes involved in a dribble drive to the basket, or a high screen is set against a defensive player involved in a competitive matchup, then “matchup proximity” should not be applied as a mechanic. The lead should referee the second defender on a dribble drive to the basket, and both the lead and the center can referee the high screen set against a defensive player involved in a competitive matchup.

A second play would be when the offensive player has driven the ball and has risen to shoot. Defensive players are in front of the shooter and behind. With that play, the lead would focus on the defensive play in front of the shooter while the center or trail would focus on the defensive player behind. There’s a strong possibility there could be a whistle blown from 20 feet away from the play if the defensive player playing behind the offense fouls.

A third play would be if a foul occurs high in the air, with the lead focused on contact between the offensive and defensive players’ torsos. Again, the center and trail need to help the lead referee by deciding a potential good block/foul choice on this play.

Still another play where matchup proximity would not apply would be curl plays by the offense into the lane. Often, the lead official cannot see the ball properly when the offensive player curls into the lane and the defensive player makes a play on the ball. The center and trail can have much better looks at potential contact on this play and need to be ready to blow their whistle if a foul occurs. In simpler terms, if the ball curls away, then the lead referee should stay away from the play.

A final play where matchup proximity would not apply would be a traveling violation or other offensive violation, deep in the lane, in front of the lead. This is a very difficult play for the lead to referee, especially if he already has a one-on-one competitive matchup or possibly a defensive double-team. The center and trail need to be ready to locate the pivot foot and help the lead referee a potential travel play or other violation.

The principle of matchup proximity has helped me stay away from blarges (one official calls a block, another calls a charge), unnecessary double whistles, and guessing on plays when I don’t have sight of the ball.

But most importantly, the principle of matchup proximity allows a crew of 3 to work difficult plays and violations more as a team, instead of over-relying on the lead official to make calls – let’s admit it – that he’s probably guessing on. And that’s, “The Primary Focus.”