Thanks to Europcar, each round the NBL's referees will review plays providing comprehensive explanations around rules and subsequent outcomes, showcasing the decision making required in real time from the NBL's Referee Panel.

Below are a series of plays and clips from Round 4 of NBL20 that have been reviewed.

Unsportsmanlike Foul – Foul in Special Situations

In the game Sydney v Brisbane we have an unusual play that does not happen all that often in the NBL. In the 4^th quarter we have an act of shooter foul called against Sydney and after the whistle is blown Purple #6 throws White #6 to the ground aggressively.

The referee’s come in to restore calm and then come together to discuss the play and the ensuing incident. They correctly deem the action of Purple #6 is reviewable and send the play for review to the IRS. By rule, fouls in special situations arise when fouls occur in the same stopped clock period following an infraction. In this case it is deemed that after the initial foul by Purple #24 the actions of Purple #6 are deemed excessive and hard contact and thus he was assessed with an Unsportsmanlike foul (USF).

The officials have no discretion here for contact fouls in a dead ball period. The play must be assessed as an USF. As this was the players second USF for the game he is then disqualified under article 37.2.3.

Correct Call – USF Criteria 2 – Fouls in Special Situations

Legal guarding position not established – Incorrect Call

The block-charge call is one of the most difficult plays for referees to adjudicate especially when the play develops quickly and the contact occurs immediately after a player takes possession of the ball. Also, when the ball is moving away from the rim it throws up a different look as the call is typically made with the perspective of the player driving to the paint. From Friday nights Perth v South East Melbourne we have an example from the 3^rd quarter.

White #55 takes possession on the foul line extended as Red #53 closes out on him. As the offensive player starts to dribble the defender has not established legal guarding position (LGP). As White #55 dribbles towards half court Red #55 slides laterally and makes contact with the offensive player on his shoulder and not on his torso. As Red #55 has not initially established LGP and the contact is on the shoulder and not the torso this is a blocking foul.

Incorrect Call – Blocking Foul

Correct Call – Unsportsmanlike Foul

Hard fouls by defenders to stop their opponents scoring on a move to the basket have been judged differently since the Rio Olympics. Excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball or an opponent are now categorised as an Unsportsmanlike Foul Criteria 2 (USF C2) under the FIBA rules.

In this example, offensive player W#1 drives to the basket through traffic and starts his shooting motion when O#6 makes excessive, hard contact in an effort to stop him from scoring. The referees initially call a normal foul, but after review, upgrade the foul to an USF C2.

Correct Call – Unsportsmanlike Foul

Correct Call – Unsportsmanlike Foul

Defensive fouls on a fast break make up one of the five criteria for an Unsportsmanlike Fouls. Under the rules, contact by the defensive player from behind or laterally on an opponent in an attempt to stop the fast break and there is no defensive player between the offensive player and the basket is considered as an Unsportsmanlike Foul Criteria 4 (USF C4). This particular rule and criteria applies until the offensive player starts their act of shooting.

In this example, the Blue team attempt a long in-bound pass for B#11 to catch and score on the fast break when W#20 fouls him from behind with no defenders between him and the basket. B#11 doesn’t gain possession of the ball on the pass but the Blue team has control of the ball when the foul occurs. The referees initially call a normal foul, but after review, upgrade the foul to an USF C4.

Correct Call – Unsportsmanlike Foul