Be the Referee: Basketball Timeout

By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director

February 10, 2022

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 – Basketball Timeout - Listen

We are on the basketball court today where a wild pass from the point guard is headed out of bounds. A teammate jumps and is just barely able to catch the pass, but his momentum is carrying him out of bounds before he lands. While still airborne, and in possession of the ball, he calls time out.

Should the official grant him the time out – or is he out of bounds, with possession going to the defending team?

Since the player jumped from inbounds, gained possession, and called timeout before touching down out of bounds – the time out should be granted. His acrobatic play and quick thinking saved his team from committing a turnover, and they’ll inbound the basketball after a 60-second break.

Previous editions

Feb. 3: Basketball Video Review - Listen
Jan. 27: Wrestling Inspections - Listen
Dec. 16: Ball Over Backboard - Listen
Dec. 9: Winter Officials Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 26: Instant Replay - Listen
Nov. 11: Tourney Selection - Listen
Nov. 4: Receiver Carried Out of End Zone Listen
Oct. 28: Volleyball Back-Row Block Listen
Oct. 21: Soccer Disallowed Goal Listen
Sept 30: Field Goal Falls Short Listen
Sept. 23: Volleyball Obstruction Listen
Sept. 16: Catch or No Catch  Listen
Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen 
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen 
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics 
 Listen

Be the Referee: Catch or No Catch

By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director

September 16, 2021

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 – Catch or No Catch - Listen

Catch … or no catch. It’s a decision that must be made in a split second and can be one of the most difficult decisions a football official has to make – especially one along the sidelines.

In high school, for a catch to be considered complete the receiver must:

Have possession and control of the ball AND

One foot or other body part must first come down in bounds.

This means that if you are forced out of bounds while in the air and with possession of the ball, it is NOT a catch. A defender can legally knock an airborne receiver out of bounds to prevent a completion. The receiver has to get one foot – or other body part – down in bounds for it to be ruled a complete catch.

Previous editions

Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen 
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen 
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics  Listen