Game Log 2/8/2006: A great evaluation

Blowout game tonight--23 point victory by White over Red. I felt good out there...was getting rotations better than I have, felt good about the calls, felt in control of the blowout game late without hugely cracking down (used a LOT of voice to get Red to ease up on illegal screens late that were moving-but-not-vicious).

I'll remember tonight more for the evaluation than for the game. It was the best evaluation I've ever had. I don't know that my score will be too high (he wrote "You can be good at this--just keep working," so I'm not optimistic), but he gave me a lot of really great feedback.

Case in point:

Late in the blowout, I'm C running downcourt on a fast break with the ball on my side. Red is sliding down at the side of the paint. I've got my eye on her...refereeing the defense. I can see Red salivating for a player control foul. White goes up. BARELY grazes Red, if at all. Red goes down as hard as if she'd been shot. I violently shake my head (dammit, I HAVE to stop doing that.) It's a big flop. I give it a no-call. Yeah, I know the rule is that it should be a T, but late in a blowout that felt like adding insult to injury. I've got nothing. Let White take her shot (which she missed, alas).

My evaluator said "You had a rough play with two players on the floor [in reality, I think it was one]. You need a call there, especially in a blowout game."

I told him I had the play stone cold. Had the defense. Flop.

He suggested I call a block, as he put it, "to penalize the non-basketball play." The player on the ground is endangering her opponent's safety by going to the ground, and that justifies the block call.

"So what do I do if Red's coach complains?"

He says I tell him: "Coach, did you know the penalty for a flop this year is a technical foul? I called the block instead." Then watch while Red stops flopping, and if they don't, penalize it with the T.

Fair enough.

Refs who read this, do you agree with the evaluator? I'm intrigued.

THINGS I DID WELL: Better with 3-man. Felt very confident. "Let the athletes make athletic plays," the evaluator said. Call selection.

THINGS TO WORK ON: Less loosey-goosey with mechanics...crisp them up. Watch rotations...don't go too late. Protect the shooter--evaluator said my eyes are going up with the shot. Stay parallel to end line as lead to clearly communicate to my partners when I pick up the ball.

NEXT UP: Friday night. The #1 mid-sized school team in the state hosts a sub-.500 opponent. Ugh. Gotta make sure nobody gets hurt...but still, it'll be fun to ref such a good team.