Fights – The best advice on fights is to never have one in your game. Being alert to the potential of flare-ups between opponents, understanding the nature of the relationship between opponents and defusing potentially volatile situations can reduce the potential for one happening. Remember, the players are trained to respond to the whistle. Sounding the whistle again and again as a flare-up begins can serve to distract the participants in a flare-up and could prevent it from becoming a full-fledged conflagration.
However, no matter how well we do our jobs, the unpredictability of teenagers can find us in the middle of having to deal with a fight situation. What are the factors we need to remember if we are faced with such a situation?
There are various penalties that come into play depending on the nature of the participation by various groups of people.
Head coaches are permitted to enter the court so long as they are trying to break up and/or prevent the further spread of such activity. The job of assistant coaches is to stay on the sideline and keep the team members on the bench from entering the court.
For players, that is, those actively participating in the game on the court, those who participate in the fight receive flagrant fouls and are disqualified. Additional penalties may be imposed by the governing body for that game. If the number of players who participate from each team is the same, no free throws will be attempted for the actions of this group. If the number is different, then two free throws will be attempted for each additional player participating from a team.
All team members on the bench are restricted to the bench area. If they enter the court without the permission of the officials, each receives a flagrant technical foul and is disqualified. Again, additional penalties may be imposed by the governing body for that game. Regardless of the number of such team members who enter the court, the head coach will receive one indirect technical foul. If such team members also participate in the fight, then the head coach receives one indirect technical foul for each person who does so.
If the number of team members entering the court from each team is the same, then no free throws will be attempted. If the number is different, one technical foul penalty (two free throws) will be attempted by the team with fewer team members entering the court.
If the number of team members entering the court from each team who also participate in the fight is the same, then no free throws will be attempted. If the number is different, two free throws will be attempted for each additional player entering the court and participating.
The penalties are imposed in the order shown above. If free throws are attempted, then the team attempting the last free throw will receive possession of the ball for a throw-in from the division line. If no free throws are attempted, play will resume from the point of interruption.
Fights can test the ability of a crew to function well. With all the various penalties that can be imposed and without the ability to use a video monitor to review the action, it is important the crew see the different areas. This can be accomplished efficiently if the member of the crew who is furthest from the spot of the fight concentrates his/her attention on the periphery. This includes the bench areas as well as players who may be away from the fight. This allows the other official(s) to focus on the area of the fight.
None of us wants to be involved in something like a fight. However, if one occurs, be prepared to handle the aftermath professionally and efficiently. Be sure to include both coaches in any discussion of penalties being imposed.
Tip of the Week
Signals – Be professional, use only authorized signals. Clear and precisely executed signals create an environment that the officials are in charge and the game is under control. In addition to communication, the use of authorized signals causes the official to slow down which allows composure time. Furthermore, the time it takes to properly signal tends to defuse and calm the entire setting. To not use signals is similar to not enforcing a rule.