Open Angle | Basketball New Zealand Referee Update

Issue 9: 22 July 2022

KIWI REFEREES ON DUTY OVERSEAS

Some of our top referees have been in action at international tournaments.

Callum Welch refereed at the FIBA Asia Under-16 Men’s Championship in Qatar in June. According to Callum, the quality of basketball really picked up towards the end of the tournament. He refereed six games, including three as crew chief. On the final day, he was crew chief for the seventh-place game between Philippines and Iran. Before the tournament, there was a pre-competition camp with theory sessions and the fitness test. There was also a video analysis session following the completion of pool play. Callum said it was a long but very fun two weeks and he received some very positive and encouraging referee instructor feedback.

Sasha Nicholson refereed at the FIBA Asia Under-16 Women’s Championship in Jordan at the beginning of July. The tournament had both a Division A with five teams and a Division B with eight teams. As New Zealand was part of the small Division A, Sasha predominantly refereed Division B games, doing five games, with one as crew chief, and the bronze medal match for Division B on the last day. On the day before the tournament, they had a theory session and fitness testing. There was also a further theory session with video clips from the tournament on the evening of day 4 as only Division A had games while Division B had a rest day. Sasha said that the two trainers provided extremely valuable feedback ranging from personal work-ons to clips for review from the games. The travel was very long, however Sasha found the experience extremely enjoyable with a fantastic group of friendly referees from across the world.

Dallas Pickering refereed three games in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Melbourne over the period 1-4 July. He officiated China v Chinese Taipei twice and Japan v Chinese Taipei, and was crew chief on all three.

Ryan Jones refereed at the FIBA Under-17 Men’s World Cup in Spain at the beginning of July.

Matt Bathurst is currently at the FIBA Men’s Asia Cup in Indonesia.

REFEREES AMONG EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAMME PARTICIPANTS

Several young women referees have been selected for Basketball New Zealand’s new Emerging Leaders Programme for Kōhine (young women) aged 19-25. The purpose of the programme is to empower kōhine to become confident, empowered leaders – not just in the basketball setting but in other parts of their life too.

From our referee ranks, Brittney Young, Daphne Martinez, Sasha Nicholson, Danielle Kooge and Sophie Currie will take part in this programme, to be piloted in 2022-2023 with three regional hub programmes, during which the participants will identify, design, and implement a project in their local community that is of direct relevance to the growth of the game. The group took part in their first two-day residential in Christchurch during the weekend of 16-17 July.

More information about the programme, including profiles of the participants, is on the BBNZ website. A news story announcing the participants is here.

MASSEY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH STUDY: GIRLS AND WOMEN’S SPORT OFFICIALS

Massey University is undertaking a research project titled “Girls and Women Referees: Building a Transformative Infrastructure”. According to the research team, little is currently known about the experiences of girls and women as sport officials and they are very keen to understand the current demographics, aspirations, barriers, and opportunities for girls and women as officials in Aotearoa New Zealand. The research comprises a nationwide survey to national sports organisations, sport organisations and to their membership, including girls and women referees, athletes, coaches, parents, etc.

The research questions are:

How can girls and women be encouraged and supported to become a sport official?
What support mechanisms are required to recruit and retain girls and women as a sport official?

The research objectives are:

To identify support mechanisms to enhance the recruitment and retention of girls and women to become a sport official.
To identify potential support mechanisms to facilitate girls and women sport official career development pathways.
To identify potential support mechanisms (i.e., resource materials/toolboxes) that sport organisations can implement to recruit, retain, educate, and support the training and development of girls and women as sport officials.

If you self-identify as female, and currently are or were a sport official (referee, umpire), or you have an interest in becoming a sport official, you are invited to complete the study’s survey. The deadline for survey completion is midnight on 12 August.

A summary of the findings will be shared via Massey University and then via various other media.

REFEREE TRAINERS TAKE PART IN WORKSHOP

A small group of referee trainers participated in a two-day workshop in Christchurch on 9-10 July, led by Peter Rodgers and Ken Coulson. The participants were trainers from Christchurch who had completed the new Level 1 Referee Trainer online course, including Toni Smith-Hunwick and Paula Wilkinson, pictured with Peter Rodgers. The workshop was the pilot of the second stage of the training to become an accredited Level 1 Referee Trainer in the new BBNZ referee trainer pathway. Further regional workshops are being planned for later in the year.

UNDER-17 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to the following referees and trainers who attended the AON Under-17 National Championships, held in Hamilton on 13-16 July.

Aimee-Jo Clark (Capital), Anzac Rose (Manawatu), Austin Smart (Canterbury), Bailey Spooner (Canterbury), Bethany Mahoney (Franklin), Bethany Smith (Harbour), Blake Rosanowski (Canterbury), Brya Mahoney (Franklin), Charlie De Prinse (Northland), Codey Montgomery (Hawkes Bay), Craig McEwen (Capital), Elijah Mareko (Capital), Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson (Gisborne), Harry Apes (Canterbury), Jaxson Fisher (Waikato), Jayden Rosanowski (Canterbury), Joshua Dawson (Harbour), Katie Godbeher (Auckland), Kirsty Howatson (Canterbury), Liam Cammelot-Allan (Harbour), Marshall McCabe (Harbour), Mikayla Sharp (Hawkes Bay), Nick Choi (Harbour), Reagan Ashley (South Canterbury), Russell Gavin (Northland), Ryan Sturgess (Capital), Sasha Nicholson (Hawkes Bay), Seddon Smith (Canterbury), Teri Cheung (Auckland), Tyler Radbourne (Canterbury), Shannon Maynard-Pourau (Manawatu)
Technical Commissioner: Tony Eldershaw
Head Trainer: Ken Coulson
Trainers: Brian McKenzie, Daniel Hart, Rebecca Moon
Te Kirikauri Pene, Willie Bryant
Manager: Christina Rosanowski

UNDER-15 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Congratulations to the following referees and trainers who attended the AON Under-15 National Championships, held in Auckland on 20-23 July.

Alana Tombleson (Franklin), Amorangi Webster (Tauranga), Ben McLauchlan (Canterbury), Bethany Mahoney (Franklin), Bethany Smith (Harbour), Blake Rosanowski (Canterbury), Brya Mahoney (Franklin), Chloe Marsters (Harbour), Codey Montgomery (Hawkes Bay), Ethan Ngarangione-Pearson (Gisborne), Felix Sparks (Gisborne), Gleb Mezentsev (Capital), Hunter Clarkson (Canterbury), Jade Fairley (Rotorua), Jazmin Dean (Manawatu), Jed Walker (Taupo), Jessie Gill (Capital), Joshua Dawson (Harbour), Leo Shaw (Southland), Mia Daly (South Canterbury), Mihi Patea (Tauranga), Natalie Whiteley (South Canterbury), Presleigh Hettig (Waikato), Sophie Curry (Canterbury), Tamaira Haereroa (Rotorua), Te Kanawa Wilson (Waikato), Yaoyuan Zang (Harbour)
Technical Commissioner: Devina Banks
Head Trainer: Ken Coulson
Trainers: Shelley McKinstry, John Zimmerman, Farishta Ihaka-Peterson, John Ihaka, Elliot Hawea, Ottley Hawea, Peter Marshall
Manager: Christina Rosanowski

CONGRATULATIONS

The following referees have been appointed to national finals so far this year:

AON Under-19 National Championships Women: Toni Smith-Hunwick, Jacob Cromb, Harry Apes
AON Under-19 National Championships Men: Hamish Dale, Corey Hogg, Reagan Ashley
AON Under-17 National Championships Girls: Aimee-Jo Clark, Mikayla Sharp
AON Under-17 National Championships Boys: Reagan Ashley, Harry Apes

REFEREE TECHNIQUE FOCUS:
Three-point attempts in 3PO

An updated version of FIBA’s advanced three-person officiating manual (available in the FIBA iRef Academy Library app) has a new section on three-point attempts and clarifies the procedure for signalling these.

On a three-point attempt, only the referee responsible for the play (either the trail or the centre, depending on who has responsibility for play around the ball at the time) should signal the three-point attempt. The other referee should stay focused on their primary area and does not need to signal the attempt. If the shot is taken from the area of dual coverage, then both referees should signal the attempt.

If the goal is successful, both the trail and centre should signal the successful basket. Since the referee opposite the shot has primary responsibility for the flight of the ball, they are normally the first to signal the successful shot while the referee with responsibility for the shooter stays with the play until the shooter has returned to the floor.

RULES QUIZ

Test yourself with these rule questions.

A1 is holding the ball and loses his balance, and falls on the floor. Is this a travelling violation?
With 1:08 on the game clock in the fourth quarter, A1 has the ball for a throw-in. Should the referee give the illegal boundary line crossing warning signal before bouncing the ball to the thrower-in?
The crew chief tosses the ball for the opening jump-ball. After the ball is legally tapped by jumper A1, it goes directly out-of-bounds without touching anyone else. Team B is awarded the throw-in and starts their possession on court. Which team is entitled to the next possession arrow throw-in?
May the team manager ask the score bench for a time-out?
A1 jumps from behind the three-point line to attempt a three-point shot. Her momentum carries her forward over the three-point line. While A1 is in the air, defender B2 moves forward into the spot where A1 is going to land. A1 lands on B2’s foot. The referee calls a foul. Which player has committed the foul?

Rules quiz answers

No. Falling on the floor with the ball is not a violation. – Art 25.2.2; Ints 25-1, 25-2
Yes. This signal is used when the game clock shows 2:00 or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime. – Art 17.3.3, signal 54; Int 36-38
Team A, because it was Team B who were first to gain control of the live ball on the playing court after the jump-ball. – Art 12.5.2; Int 12-5
No. Only the head coach or the first assistant coach may ask the score bench for a time-out. – Art 18.3.1
B2. After jumping, A1 is entitled to land anywhere that was unoccupied when she jumped. B2 has taken her landing spot and is responsible for the contact. – Art 33.6

REGISTERED IN THE BBNZ DATABASE?

If you're active as a referee or a referee trainer, you should be registered in the BBNZ database. To complete a registration if you are not currently in the database, follow this link. You can check and update your details at any time later by going to members.nz.basketball and logging in with the same e-mail and password.