MMBRA Rules Refresher

Nate Saunders – MMBRA Interpreter FIBA rules, interpretations, questions, queries, etc…

Getting “refreshed”… FIBA.com - Official Rules Official Interpretations Person and 3-Person Mechanics Manual CABO Canada - Interpretations 2011 Facebook, Twitter, FIBAAmericasReferee.com, MMBRA.org

NO NEW RULE CHANGES! NO USE OF THE NO-CHARGE SEMI-CIRLE IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE TWO 3PT LINES, USE THE NEAREST 3PT LINE

Points of Emphasis *Contact principles and illegal/excessive contact* 1) Unsportsmanlike fouls 2) Plays where we NEED a whistle

Unsportsmanlike Fouls Four (4) instances: No effort to play the ball Causing excessive contact (hard foul) Contact from behind or laterally (on the side) on a break-away situation (last defensive player) Last 2-minutes of the 4 th Quarter OR Overtime: A foul before ball has been released for throw-in.

No effort to play the ball/Causing excessive contact (hard foul) Rough, severe, dangerous, flagrant contact should not be tolerated at any time. Clean up the game. Detect the players who do not play basketball. Unsportsmanlike Fouls

No effort to play the ball/Causing excessive contact (hard foul) Evaluate the action and do not think about the penalty. In case of doubt, call a personal foul. Take a few seconds to evaluate the whole play. Partners may assist to upgrade (or downgrade) a call. Unsportsmanlike Fouls

Tip: “Ask yourself: Is this a type of contact situation I am okay with seeing 10 times in my game? If the answer is ‘no’, then you most likely have an unsportsmanlike foul situation on your hands.” - Warren Poncsak, CABO National Evaluator Unsportsmanlike Fouls

Contact from behind or laterally (on the side) on a break-away situation RULE (no judgment involved): If a defensive player causes contact with opponent from behind or laterally in an attempt to stop a fastbreak and there is no opponent between the offensive player and the opponents basket, it is an UF. Valid until player is in act of shooting (unless no effort to play the ball or excessive contact) Unsportsmanlike Fouls

Foul before ball has been released for throw-in, last 2-minutes of the game RULE (no judgment involved): During the last 2 mins of the game, when the ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in and still in the hands of the official or already at the disposal of the player taking the throw-in, if at this moment a defensive player causes contact with a player of the offensive team and a foul is called, it is an UF. Unsportsmanlike Fouls

NEED a whistle… “Automatic”, very little judgment involved Call the obvious Do not miss the big ones

Examples… Players getting hit in the head/face whether in the act of shooting or not. Safety first. NEED a whistle…

Examples… Contact (especially from the waist down) that causes a dribbler to fall with the ball. NEED a whistle…

Hand-checking is the “illegal” use of the hand(s) / arm(s) to impede or influence the movement / progress of an opponent with or without the ball A defensive player may momentarily touch an opponent with his hand anywhere on the court as long as it does not affect the opponent’s movement (rhythm, speed, balance, quickness)… Tip: North/South, Cylinder Principle NEED a whistle…

Under NO circumstances may the defensive player place two hands upon an opponent. Two hands = Call the foul. Automatic. NEED a whistle…

Crashes in the key (block/charge situations) where both players end up on the floor… MUST have a whistle. NEED a whistle…

There can be no “let them play” attitude when the contact is excessive or rough… NEED a whistle…

MMBRA’S TOP 3 – MISUNDERSTOOD CALLS #3 – KICK (FOOT) BALL A player shall not (…) deliberately kick or block it with any part of the leg... However, to accidentally come into contact with or touch the ball with any part of the leg is not a violation. Article 13.2

#2 – PLAYER FALLING, LYING OR SITTING ON THE FLOOR It is legal when a player falls and slides on the floor while holding the ball or, while lying or sitting on the floor, gains control of the ball. It is a violation if the player then rolls or attempts to stand up while holding the ball Article MMBRA’S TOP 3 – MISUNDERSTOOD CALLS

#1 – FIFTH (5 th ) FOUL SUBSTITUTION SITUATION Substitutions shall be completed as quickly as possible. A player who has committed his five (5) fouls or has been disqualified must be substituted immediately (within approximately 30 seconds). Article MMBRA’S TOP 3 – MISUNDERSTOOD CALLS

QUESTIONS? Merci! Thanks!