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I think thier theory is to let the kids decide the game, but too much of "swallowing the whistle" can affect the game in reverse.

I for one love tournament basketball and more pyshical games. Going after a goal with the upmost aggressiveness is something that will help you succeed your entire life.

I would rather have 4 1/2 fouls and gave it my all than 1 or 2 fouls and wondering what if.

In fact I think encouraging kids to foul is great for thier aggressiveness, if you get into a game that is pyshical then it helps tremendously.

I'd rather it always be called like it is at tournament time.

All I ask is that they be consistent with their calls for the entire game and don't swallow the whistle at the end if it's an obvious call.

I've noticed for years come the second season. Refs let them play for the most part in the tourney.

The good refs do..though I've seen a clown or two call tic tac foul after foul late in the tourney to completely destroy teams.


I think way too much is looked past when a team has the lead late in a game and the other team is frantically pressuring the ball...it's like the team that has played the best for the first 30 minutes of hte game is now going to get fewere calls becuase the other team is trying to catch up with extreme pressure.

Before a tourney game at waverly i had a ref tell me, "Im not calling anything. They've made it this far so I just let them play"

But I agree to much of that can be a bad thing, more than anything you dont want kids getting hurt

if one team sees a ref is letting the other play, then they need to make the adjustments and play just as hard.

I don't see many officials letting them play at tourney time. Unfortunately, I see the same guys calling everywhere I go. There has to be enough good officials to work games so the same 6 or 8 guys don't work every post season game. I also hate seeing those overdramatic guys who make calls so everyone can see them. There are a few too many of those guys running around too.

Captain,
I agree. I have never understood why officials expect you to play a certain way for 20 games then change the style of play because it's "Tournament Time".

Also sometimes the "physical" play allowed by the officials favors one team. If you are small, quick and skilled, you are at a disadvantage when the play becomes physical.

These games should not be about who has spent the most time in the weight room, no offense but that's football and wrestling... Basketball games should be about who has spent the most time in the GYM.

OK, I have to add another aspect to this discussion.

"Letting them play" from a physical, foul, standpoint is one thing that we have all observed, however, all of the traveling and palming the ball that is allowed, once the tournaments start, is simply, sad.

There are kids who carry the ball all season, and it doesn't get called. You would think that the "top" officials that are doing tournament games, would make the call. THEY WILL NOT DO IT. It is like OHSAA has resigned to the fact that palming the ball is now part of the game, but it is so inconsistently called, I could just scream!!!

As for traveling, if the officials call it, they must be consistent. I did not see that in the tournament games that I've watched this year.........

RANDOMGUY wrote: Going after a goal with the upmost aggressiveness is something that will help you succeed your entire life.

It could also teach them that you don't have to go by the rules in life.
The players can still decide the game themselves if they are ALL required to play by the rules. I love football but not on the hardwoods.

gahs4ever wrote:Perhaps by the time you get to District play, most of the poorer teams are gone and the quality of play is on a higher level.

Perhaps but not always the case. There are some not so good teams make it to the district because of the draw that they received.

I thing blindwhitehat may have something. He/she mentioned seeing the same 6 or 8 officials in tournament games. Well officials have to get enough votes and the ones with enough votes I believe get more tournament games and get the bigger ones. So if thats the case and you only see so many maybe they call it that way in season also.

TheMalteseFalcon wrote:

RANDOMGUY wrote: Going after a goal with the upmost aggressiveness is something that will help you succeed your entire life.

It could also teach them that you don't have to go by the rules in life.
The players can still decide the game themselves if they are ALL required to play by the rules. I love football but not on the hardwoods.

So if you are up by one and the other teams worst foulshooter has a wide open layup at the buzzer to defeat you, then you just let him do it, because it would be against the rules to foul him?

Fouls are apart of the game, well timed fouls win games.

What if the other team has the ball and are up by 2 with 30 seconds left. Better not foul them and put them on the line because fouls are against the rules

RANDOMGUY wrote:So if you are up by one and the other teams worst foulshooter has a wide open layup at the buzzer to defeat you, then you just let him do it, because it would be against the rules to foul him?
.

You are missing the point. I am in no way saying not to foul him, only that if you DO foul him it should be called but a lot of people would interpret that as the ref 'deciding' the game if the kid makes the foul shots and wins the game.
One caveat on this however, if it is obviously an intentional foul such as just grabbing or pushing them (as opposed to fouling while attempting to block the shot) then it should be called an "intentional foul" and the accompanying rules apply.

If they fouled your BEST foul shooter while attempting that same winning layup and they DIDN'T call it, (because they didn't want to be accused of 'deciding' the game) would you be upset. You bet.

When refs start getting arbitrary and/or subjective in their calling is when the trouble starts, IMO.