Game Log 1/2/2009: International night
A traveling girls' team from Europe played one of the strongest local teams this afternoon. JV and Varsity. Unfortunately, the barnstormers were not at all of the caliber of the home team, and in each game the fell behind gravely early due to the press. The brunt of both games was spent just keeping stuff under control.
The varsity game had a shot of getting quite ugly in the second quarter...I could see the European girls getting frustrated. But it all calmed down quite quickly after halftime...I think they had cooled off, and with the press off, the second half went quickly and smoothly...two teams just playing ball.
Only one I'd like back. There was an out-of-bounds violation. A player saved the ball under her own hoop, took three or four steps along the out-of-bounds side of the baseline. I saw her doing it, but the play was elsewhere, so I figured, no advantage, let it go. Then she stepped in bounds, got a pass, and fired it home. Should have whistled that as soon as she got the pass, but alas. That imperfection only serves to make the rest of my work more impressive...
And I'm curious as to your opinion about the following:
I twice had the following call: player from Red driving to the hoop. She picks up the ball low--about knee level--on her way to shoot it up high. A nearby defender reaches in. Gets her wrist. I toot it, and whistle continuation. Two shots (or one, had it gone in).
After the game, partner told me that when the ball is down at knee level, anything goes. I'm not sure I buy that. I do think I probably could have a more patient whistle to see if there's an advantage gained, but "anything goes"? A kid playing lazy defense and just reaching to take a slap? Do any readers have an "anything goes if the ball is low" philosophy on drives? I'd like a second opinion on this.
A smooth, easy night. Like stealing money.
THINGS I DID WELL: Kept it from getting out of control, mostly stayed mentally in two boring games
THINGS TO WORK ON: Still occasionally have trouble on V-back switches, still mostly only raising my right hand to signal fouls or violations (but I did do the left hand ONCE today! Yay!)
NEXT UP: Girls JV/Varsity tilt on Monday. I'm doing four out of five nights next week.
3 Comments:
I would agree with you that wait and see what happens and then call a foul if something happens. As far as an anything goes, I do not understand where that came from. I would probly have called the same thing in your shoes! Nice CALL!
Anything goes? Come on. At NO time in the game do we say "anything goes". That's just dumb.
In your particular case, could you have let that particular contact go? I don't know b/c I wasn't there, obviously. But if you judge that there's an advantage, then it's a foul.
"Anything goes" sounds like a cop-out to me, an excuse to let stuff go. I don't understand why an official would say that.
Sounds like you're both mostly agreeing with me. A patient whistle solves the problem for everybody.
I guess I don't want to see kids get away with lazy reach-into-the-drive defense, so I'm quick--possibly too-quick--to call those. I need to give it a half-beat.
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