1. District 1 Basketball Officials
Three-Person Mechanics
The Basics:
Officiate Your Primary!
Trust Your Partners to Officiate their own Primary!
Don’t Guess!

2. L
Primary Coverage Areas- basic C T

3. Start as wide as the ball Rotate based on post play
Primary Coverage Areas- LEAD
LEAD SHOULD:
Start as wide as the ball
Rotate to put your crew in the best position possible to officiate the next sequence
Rotate based on post play
Do not stop in the lane
Be responsible for secondary defenders on all block/charge plays in the key
During rotation, look for the 1st competitive match up in your PCA, not the ball C T

4. Be mindful of screens/cutters
Primary Coverage Areas- CENTER
CENTER SHOULD:
Be mindful of screens/cutters
Be prepared to call your side of the lane if there is a post-entry on the weak side
Stay with the primary defender all the way to the basket if a drive originates in your PCA
If ball is between C & T’s primary coverage area, let T decide if they want to be on-ball or off-ball
Responsible for weak side rebounding unless you are marking the shooter C T

5. Be Positioned at the 28 ft. line or lower
Primary Coverage Areas- TRAIL
TRAIL SHOULD:
Be Positioned at the 28 ft. line or lower
If ball is between C & T’s primary coverage area, you as T need to decide if you want to be on-ball and show your partner so they know you have ball (i.e. give a count)
Stay with the primary defender all the way to the basket if a drive originates in your PCA
On block/charge plays in the key with a secondary defender, let L have the primary whistle
Get “underneath” shooters when a 3-point shot is taken from the top of the perimeter C T

6. C L T Primary Coverage Areas- three point try
Lead assists Center and Trail in transition
Trail and Center mirror only after a successful attempt C
Official with the preliminary signal stays with the shooter, off official takes rebounding
There should never be two officials marking a 3-point shot T

7. ROTATION: WHY & WHEN Lead initiates rotation based upon:
#1 Post Play #2 Ball Location #3 Majority of Players
Avoid rotating:
…during a drive to the basket
…when a shot is going up
…during rebounding action
…when partners are not in the front court

8. L C T Terminology: Wide Angle/ Close down
Always get to close-down position first before rotating across the key as Lead C T

9. L T T C C Basic rotation Rotation is (usually) initiated by the Lead
Lead will initiate rotation based upon:
post players
ball
majority of players
partners are in front court T T

10. Looking for Angles Spaces
Three person requires you to work for “good looks.”
Particularly as C and T you must move to get a good angle. However, know that movement is mostly parallel to sideline rather than towards the center of the floor as in 2-person
SPACES
Officials must not get lazy and allow themselves to get straight lined….looking at a play through the offensive player’s backside!

11. X L Foul C T Play situation: Trust Your Partner! See the WHOLE play!
Unless this play curls to the center of the floor and C no longer has a look, this is Center’s call T

12. Double Whistles should be avoided
Play situation:
Foul X
See the WHOLE play!
Double Whistles should be avoided
This is Lead’s call, but T will likely have a good look at this play as well – make sure we at least give lead an opportunity to make this call first before putting a whistle on this play from T C T

13. Foul- Front Court- Lead- Stays in front court
Table

14. C T Table C L T Foul Foul- Front Court- Center - Stays in front court
This works for situations where there will be a free-throw…the Trail is at the 28’ line, not half-court
Foul
What if the ball is to be taken out of bounds? Lead goes to ball side which forces Center back to Trail. L T T
Table

15. Foul- Front Court- Lead – Goes to back court
Table

16. Foul- Front Court- Center – Goes to back court
Table

17. Foul- Front Court- Trail – Goes to back court
Table

18. Foul- Front Court- Trail Opposite – Goes to back court
Table

19. Foul- Front Court- Lead Opposite – Goes to back court
Table C

20. Final Things to Remember
Official who is opposite the table is responsible for the last second shot (unless the crew pre-games this and decides differently before the start of the game).
Trail and/or Center are responsible for bringing in substitutes. If we are the official administering a throw-in, always make eye contact with the other officials to ensure we do not allow the ball to be put into play while they are beckoning subs.
When the ball is in your primary… you are responsible for the primary defender on ball during drives to the basket. Trust your partners to help with secondary defenders!

21. Miscellaneous Notes
You can’t be a “ball watcher” and be an effective official. If you catch your crew having double-whistles, this is a good indication that it is likely someone was ball watching when they should’ve been off ball.
Double whistles happen…
Who gets the call? (primary official)
What do we do on the court? (make sure both officials have the same call and report)
What do we do off the court? (chat about the play in the locker room and decide what we could do as a crew to avoid the double whistle for next time)
Where is the “C” during a press?? Freeze after a rebound/made basket to see if there is a press or trap. Think: “Center stay put”
Most “mishaps” are avoided on the court simply by communicating every call we make with our own crew before we report it to the table: COMMUNICATE

22. District 1 Basketball Officials
Three-Person Mechanics
The Basics:
Officiate Your Primary!
Trust Your Partners to Officiate their own Primary!
Don’t Guess!
Last Updated: 1/7/18 by Benjamin Allen