1. FIBA 3-PERSON OFFICIATING MECHANICS 2015

2. TERMINOLOGY Ball-side Lead, Centre, Trail Table side Opposite side
Rotation: change of position during live ball
Strong side: side of front court where L is located
Weak side: side of front court where L is not located
Switch: change in position during dead ball caused by a foul being called

3. BASIC CONCEPTS Team success depends on C’s and T’s involvement
Teamwork
Respect
Patience
Communication
Team success depends on C’s and T’s involvement

4. PRE-GAME On the court 20 minutes before game is scheduled to start.
Prior to the 10 minute mark, Referee goes to table and confirm roster and 5 starters.
2:00 prior to the start, all the officials introduce themselves to the coaches.
Following the introductions and announcement of the starting line ups, start the game with little or no delays.

5. OPENING TOSS Responsibilities: Movement: ball to Referee’s right
Referee: power toss (do not blow whistle)
New: U1 sets up 2 / 3 steps from the centre line!
U1: starts the clock, calls re-jumps or jumper violation.
U2: 8 non-jumpers
Movement: ball to Referee’s right

6. OPENING TOSS Responsibilities: Movement: ball to Referee’s left
Refree: toss
New: U1 sets up 2/3 steps from the centre line
U1: calling re-jump or jumper violation
U2: 8 non-jumpers
Movement: ball to Referee’s left

7. BASIC PLAYING COURT COVERAGE
Lead: sets up at a 45* angle part way between the restricted area and 3-point line.
Centre: sets up at free throw line extended square to the sideline.
Trail: sets up at 45* angle at the hash mark or coaches area line.

8. OFFICIALS WORKING AREAS
Officials must go where they can see the spaces between the players
New: Lead: closedown is off the edge of the backboard
New: 3 officials moving at the same time is not recomended

9. AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Trail is responsible for outside of strong side
Lead is responsible for paint on strong side and inside trapazoid.
Trail and Lead have shared responsibilities in dual area
Centre is responsible for entire weak side

10. BALL GOES TOWARD THE BASKET
Trail and Centre step toward the endline, making the triangle smaller
Both officials should never be moving back when ball is taken to or shot toward the basket.

11. ROTATION If ball is passed to opposite side.
Lead moves to close down, initiates rotation and moves to ball-side. Lead should never run when rotating. New: Lead should be closed down when ball between the 2 circles.
Trail moves to new Centre
Centre holds position until Lead has rotated and set up in the Lead.
All 3 moving together at the same time is not recommended

12. TRANSITION Trail becomes new Lead Centre continues to be Centre
All violations and fouls between the top of the two free throw semi-circles on his side
On fast break, follow play quickly to assist Lead
Ball coverage to the basket on his side
Lead becomes Trail
New sideline responsibility
Coverage behind the fast break

13. PRESSING Trail becomes new Lead Centre continues to be Centre:
Last line of defence
Centre continues to be Centre:
First line of defence
Assists Trail
Lead becomes new Trail
All players in backcourt
Players in frontcourt and backcourt

14. THROW-INS Throw-in spot nearest to point of infraction
Bounce the ball to thrower-in – keep distance to a minimum.
New: Lead works outside the thrower-in and basket.
Warning whistle on FC baseline throw-ins only
Trail shall not be on the floor during any throw-in admin. by the Trail

15. ENDLINE THROW-IN New: Lead outside the player and basket – outside in!
Warning whistle when throw-in is administered in front court baseline only.
Hand the ball the player.
Gives a visible 5 second count.
Starts the game clock when ball is touched in-bounds
New: Trail mirrors the Lead’s start clock signal.

16. SIDELINE FRONT COURT THROW-IN
Centre calls the out-of-bounds violation, moves to the throw-in place to administer the throw-in and becomes new Trail
Trail moves to the new Centre position.
Lead moves to the ball-side.
No warning whistle required (regardless)

17. OUT OF BOUNDS IN BACK COURT
Ball goes out of bounds in back court on weak or Centre sideline in the backcourt.
Centre becomes new Trail & handles throw-in.
Lead moves to ball-side
Trail becomes new Centre
No warning whistle! T C

18. SHOT COVERAGE
Centre is primarily responsible for shots from C’s coverage area
Trail is responsible to help on shots from T’s coverage area.
Lead may be responsible for tries on fast break or quick transition play.
Trail and Centre steps in on try for goal.

19. SHOT COVERAGE
Lead is primarily responsible for shooter and ball-side rebounding
Centre is primarily responsible for goal tending and basket interference, weak-side rebounding
Trail is responsible for goaltending and basket interference and perimeter rebounding

20. 3-POINT FIELD GOAL COVERAGE
Centre or Trail are responsible for signaling 3-point try from their coverage area.
No mirroring by opposite official on attempt.
When Centre or Trail signals successful 3-point basket, the opposite official shall always mirror the successful field goal.

21. CALLING A FOUL Stop clock: arm straight up, clenched fist
Bird dogging has been eliminated
Indicate number of free throws
RUN to scorer’s table (6 to 8 m) and STOP
Report while standing still
Signal number of player
Indicate nature of foul
Number of free throws or direction of play
RUN to next position
Free officials keeps all players within field of vision
Free officials shall never go through the players.
Double whistle:
Eye contact
Nearest official or official toward whom play is moving takes call

22. PROCEDURE WHEN FOUL IS CALLED
Calling official:
Identifies player and reports to scorer
Always moves (runs) to side opposite of the table.
On all shooting fouls, the calling official always becomes Trail.
Officials not calling the foul:
Freeze and observe all players until reporting has begun, then move to new positions while continuing to observe all players
If official on table side did not call, he remains table side
Official closest to table administers time-outs and substitutions
Official who calls offensive foul on:
Table side becomes the new Centre on opposite side
Opposite side returns to the opposite side of the court.
No dead ball walking by any official – keep the game moving!

23. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL REMAINS IN FRONT COURT
Centre calls foul on defensive player table side.
Centre reports and goes opposite as Centre.
Trail hold position and goes table side as Trail.
Lead moves to table side as Lead.
When moving to report or to a new position, do not go through the players.

24. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL REMAINS IN FRONT COURT
Centre calls foul on defensive player opposite side.
Centre reports and goes back opposite become New Trail.
Trail hold position and stays table side as new Centre.
Lead moves to opposite side as Lead T C L C L C T

25. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL REMAINS IN FRONT COURT
Lead calls foul on defensive player on opposite side
Lead reports and goes opposite as New Trail.
Trail goes opposite and becomes New Lead
Centre stays as Centre table side

26. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL REMAINS IN FRONT COURT
Lead calls foul on defensive player on table side
Lead reports and goes opposite as New Centre
Centre goes table side becomes New Lead
Trail stays as Trail on table side L T L L C C

27. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL REMAINS IN FRONT COURT
Trail calls foul on defensive player opposite side
Trail reports and goes opposite and stays Trail
Centre and Lead remain in same position

28. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL REMAINS IN FRONT COURT
Trail calls foul on defensive player table side
Trail reports and goes opposite as new Centre
Centre holds position and goes table side as new Trail
Lead remains in same position T T T L C C

29. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL GOES TO NEW FRONT COURT
Centre calls offensive foul on opposite side
Centre reports and goes opposite as new L
Lead becomes new Trail and handles throw-in on opposite side
Trail becomes new Centre table side

30. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL GOES TO NEW FRONT COURT
Centre calls offensive foul on table side
Centre reports and goes opposite as Centre
Lead becomes new Trail and handles throw-in on table side
Trail becomes new Lead table side T C L C L C T

31. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL GOES TO NEW FRONT COURT
Lead calls offensive foul table side
Lead reports and goes opposite as new Centre
Centre becomes new Trail and handles throw-in
Trail becomes new Lead

32. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER OFFENSIVE FOUL IN THE BACK COURT.
Lead calls offensive foul opposite side
Lead reports and goes opposite and becomes new Trail and handles backcourt throw-in … long switch has been eliminated!
Trail becomes new Lead
Centre remains Centre. C C L L L T T

33. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL GOES TO NEW FRONT COURT
Trail calls offensive foul table side
Trail reports and goes opposite as new Centre
Lead becomes new Trail and handles throw-in table side
Centre goes table side and becomes new Lead

34. SWITCHING POSITIONS AFTER FOUL BALL GOES TO NEW FRONT COURT
Trail calls offensive foul opposite side
Trail reports and goes opposite as new Lead
Lead becomes new Trail and handles throw-in opposite side
Centre stays table side and remains Centre C C T L L T T

35. FREE THROW ADMINISTRATION
Lead (opposite side)
Signals number of throws
Bounces ball to thrower
Stays off the floor on all attempts
Watches players across lane
After last successful free throw, signals start of clock
Centre (table side)
Signals number of throws until ball is released
Hands remain up on all shots
Observes feet of FT shooter
Signals start of clock after last unsuccessful free throw
Handles subs and time-outs
Trail (opposite side)
Helps with free throw violations if necessary
Helps with perimeter rebounding
Administers the throw-in at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table when required

36. ADMINISTRATION OF FOULS FOLLOWED BY POSSESSION
Official calling foul reports and goes opposite to mid-court line as Trail
Lead (opposite side) administers all free throws
Centre (table side) at the free throw line extended
After last free throw, Lead passes ball to Trail for throw-in at the centre line extended, opposite the scorer’s table

37. CHARGED TIME-OUTS
Official nearest table grants the time-out, becomes middle official and stands straddling centre line. All officials assume pre-game positions during time out.
Ball placed on the floor at next throw-in spot … exceptions!
At the 50 second signal, calling official blows whistle and officials ensure that players return to the playing court and move to normal positions

38. SUBSTITUTIONS
The official nearest the scorer’s table blows the whistle, faces table and gives the substitution signal to the entering player(s) only!
In the case of the official who calls a foul, the request for time-out and/or substitution will be granted by the official who replaces him/her on the table-side
In transition, the closest official shall handle the subs or time-outs.
The official handling sub(s) should never turn his/her back to the player(s) entering the game.

39. END OF GAME In CW games only, Officials gather at pre-game spots
Observe post-game action.
In all other games, officials shall leave the playing court immediately.
Scorer shall bring the scoresheet to the official’s changing room.
Scoresheet must be signed