Be the Referee: 3-Second Rule
March 5, 2020
This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice explains one of the most misunderstood rules in basketball – the 3-second rule.
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment - Misunderstood Rules: 3 Seconds - Listen
It’s hard to go to a basketball game and not sit near other fans who are yelling about the officials not calling three seconds. The 3-second rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in the game of basketball.
The purpose and philosophy of the rule is to not allow a player who is significantly taller than his or her opponent to camp out in the middle of the lane and create an unfair advantage. The 3-second count is in effect whenever an offensive player has at least one foot in the lane when his or her team is in possession of the ball. That count stops as soon as a try – a shot – is attempted or a try is imminent; and the count cannot start again until there is control of a rebound.
Keep this in mind at the next game you attend.
Past editions
Feb. 27: Clarifying Takedowns - Listen
Feb. 20: Basketball Officials Manual - Listen
Feb. 13: Held Ball or Traveling - Listen
Feb. 6: Hockey Rules Chart - Listen
Jan. 30: Cheer Safety - Listen
Jan. 23: Goaltending - Listen
Jan. 16: Wrestling Tie-Breaker - Listen
Jan. 9: Pregame Meeting - Listen
Dec. 19: Alternating Possession - Listen
Dec. 12: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 5: Video Review Success - Listen
Nov. 28: More Injury Time - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Review - Listen
Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
Be the Referee: Unusual Soccer Goals
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
October 28, 2025
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Unusual Soccer Goals - Listen
We’re talking some unusual ways to score soccer goals today.
It doesn’t happen often, but a team can score directly from a corner kick or the kickoff.
But what if it’s a goalie, down in their own end, who somehow throws the ball 80 yards or so and into the back of the other team’s net. Does that count?
It does not. A keeper cannot score for his own team by throwing the ball the length of the field and into his opponent’s goal.
If this were to happen, the defending team would receive a goal kick.
But if the keeper accidentally throws the ball into his own net, then it does count as a goal for the opponent.
You don’t always need your feet to score a goal in soccer.
Previous 2025-26 editions
Oct. 21: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen
Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen