1

Welcome to the 2016-17 Season!The NAIA is excited to announce that we have partnered with Referee to provide a preseason newsletter to help you prepare for the upcoming season. We will cover rule changes, points of emphasis and discussion about mechanics.

We encourage you to come back throughout the season to the NAIA Women’s Basketball Hub and check out the materials we will post. We want to help you be the best prepared of� cials for our schools and student-athletes.

To assist us with this new publication, please send us any ideas or suggestions for improvements tor topics that you would like to see addressed to blade@naia.org.

From the NAIA membership and staff, thank you for your dedication and service as an of� cial. We appreciate the time commitment you make to work our contests.

Of� cially Speaking,

Bob LadeNAIA Directorof Of� ciating Initiatives

Women’s PreseasonBasketball Guide

2016-17

Ensuring proper coverage is essential to the crew’s success. Of� cials have well-

de� ned areas to help with responsibilities.The primary of� cial should have the

only whistle when a foul or violation occurs in her or his primary area. When the primary of� cial does not have a whistle on a foul or violation that is obvious, a secondary of� cial should make the ruling. Double whistles should only occur when

there is uncertainty about whose primary the play occurred in.

Coverage on drives. Different coverage on drives in and around the free-throw lane is important. Of� cials should know the primary responsibilities on each drive.

One Whistle Does It

Continued on page 2

HOME VISITORSCORER & TIMER

C C

LL

T

T

TRAIL HASLAST WAVE

CENTER HASMIDDLE WAVE

LEAD HASFIRST WAVE

1

Offi cials should know the responsibilities and coverage differences on drives toward the basket.

Women’s Preseason Basketball Guide 2016-17

2

Center-side drive. When a drive originates from the center toward the lead, the center is primary responsible for the play all the way to the basket.

Drives starting from trail’s area. When a drive originates from the trail’s

primary toward the lead, the lead assumes responsibility when the ball enters her or his primary area.

Drives in the free-throw lane and below the free-throw line. When a drive occurs down the free-throw lane and below the free-throw line, the lead is responsible for the ball to the basket. The lead is primary for all block/charge plays. The lead is primary on plays at the ring with the center and trail being secondary. The center and trail have dual-coverage responsibility when a player pulls up to shoot or pass.

Transition coverage. The center is key to effective transition coverage and positioning. The center’s position is based on the movements of the players. The center should momentarily hold position near the top of the free-throw semicircle after a change of possession, a � eld goal or a free-throw attempt. The center has responsibility for the middle third of players in transition, regardless of where

the players are on the court (as shown in the MechaniGram 1, previous page). Once the ball crosses the division line, the center reverts to the center’s primary frontcourt coverage.

Lead’s positioning. The lead’s starting position should be based on the ball’s location once crossing the division line.

When the ball is strongside and outside the free-throw lane extended the lead should mirror the ball, as shown in A of MechaniGram 2.

When the ball is within the free-throw lane extended or on the center’s side of the court, the lead should be at the close-down position, as shown in B of MechaniGram 2.

When the ball is settled above the free-throw line extended on the center’s side, the lead should be evaluating a rotation, as shown in C of MechaniGram 2.

Once the lead rotates across, the lead should mirror the ball, as shown in D of MechaniGram 2. *

Help Coverage on RA/LDB PlaysUnderstanding the complexities of the

help coverage of restricted-area (RA) plays and lower-defensive-box (LDB) plays is important.

Free-throw-lane drive. The lead should be at the close-down position on a dribble-drive play down the free-throw lane to of� ciate legality of secondary defenders. The

trail and center should adjust their position to provide help, as needed, with the driving player’s starting location and the legality of the secondary defender (MechaniGram 3).

Center-side drive. When a center-side drive occurs, the lead and trail should adjust their position to provide help, as needed, with the driving player’s starting

location and the legality of the secondary defender (MechaniGram 4).

Strongside drive. When a strongside drive occurs, the center and trail should adjust their position to provide help, as needed, with the driving player’s starting location and the legality of the secondary defender (MechaniGram 3). *

Continued from page 1

HO

ME

VISITOR

SCO

RER

& TIM

ER

1

L LL L

1 33

55

4 4

2

2

A

AMIRROR BALL

BCLOSE DOWN

CROTATE

DROTATE AND MIRROR

B DC

2H

OM

EVISITO

RSC

OR

ER &

TIMER

C

L

T

TRAIL ASSISTSWITH SECONDARY

CENTER IS PRIMARY AND SHOULD HAVE

A PRIMARY TIMED WHISTLE

LEAD IS SECONDARYAND CAN HAVE A

SECONDARY TIMED WHISTLE AFTER

ALLOWING CENTERPRIMARY TIMED

WHISTLE

CENTER IS PRIMARY CENTER IS PRIMARY AND SHOULD HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE

TIMED WHISTLETIMED WHISTLETIMED WHISTLE

CC

CENTER IS PRIMARY CENTER IS PRIMARY AND SHOULD HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE

A PRIMARY A PRIMARY TIMED WHISTLETIMED WHISTLE

4

HO

ME

VISITOR

SCO

RER

& TIM

ER

C

L

T

TRAIL IS PRIMARY ON DRIVES ABOVE FREE-THROW LINE

CENTERASSISTS

WITHSECONDARY

LEAD IS PRIMARYWITH DRIVES BELOW

FREE-THROW LINE

3

Women’s Preseason Basketball Guide 2016-17

3

Back-Away ApproachOf� cials will need to maintain coverage

of players immediately following their signals and rulings. Following a whistle for a foul ruling, violation ruling or held-ball ruling, of� cials need to refrain from turning away. The following examples are the most common instances when of� cials have a tendency to turn their attention away from the involved players. They commonly involve change-of-possession plays.

Player-control fouls and team-control fouls. After making a player-control ruling or a foul ruling with team-control

implications, avoid turning away from players. Work to maintain focus on the immediate action of the involved players while your non-ruling of� cials assume their next coverage areas.

Traveling violations or out-of-bounds violations. After making a traveling or out-of-bounds ruling, avoid turning away from the players/court while signaling. Work to maintain focus on the immediate action of the involved players and do not walk away with your back to the players or the spot of the violation.

Held-ball situations. After making a ruling for a held ball, move in toward the action. Held-ball rulings have the potential for escalation. Work to check the possession arrow after ensuring that all activity has stopped and the players are separated. It is suggested that crews communicate in their pregames that the ruling of� cial will not check the direction of the arrow when the ruling of� cial is not facing the table. Instead a non-ruling of� cial should assist the crew by providing and signaling the direction. *

New SignalsThree new approved signals have been

added for of� cials’ use.Option to advance. The signal

indicates the team granted a timeout is electing to advance the ball to the frontcourt 28-foot line. Of� cials communicating with the granted team’s coach shall point toward the frontcourt 28-foot line while keeping their arm at shoulder height after learning the option to advance will be used.

Chucking the cutter/displacing post player. The signal indicates a foul has occurred for chucking a cutter or displacing a post player. Of� cials using the signal will make a � st with each hand, placing the knuckles together with forearms at chest height and perpendicular to the � oor, and extended forward showing a chucking/displacing motion.

Rebounding foul — staying here. The signal indicates a defensive foul has occurred and the play will resume at the same end of the court. Of� cials will

use this signal when a defensive foul occurs in the offensive frontcourt (e.g. rebounding foul) after using the stop-clock-for-foul signal. *

Disqualifi ed-Player ProcedureWhen a player has been disquali� ed,

the ruling of� cial will instruct the timer to start a 15-second interval with the � rst horn sounding immediately. The ruling of� cial will still go through the procedure even if there is a substitute already at the table. The ruling of� cial’s point to the timer to request the � rst-

warning horn coincides with the start of the 15-second time limit. A second horn is sounded when the 15-second interval is complete and a substitution has not been made. If the legal substitute reports before the second horn, the second horn will not be sounded. A direct technical foul is charged to the head coach if the

disquali� ed player is not replaced after 15 seconds. In disquali� ed-player situations, the ruling of� cial has the option to go opposite if an adversarial situation occurs or could. In the case of an adversarial situation, a non-ruling of� cial executes the disquali� ed-player procedure with the disquali� ed player’s coach. *

Women’s Preseason Basketball Guide 2016-17

4

Foul ReportingThe ruling official goes tableside after

reporting fouls. That includes a foul ruled in the backcourt with free-throws to be attempted. If an adversarial situation occurs or could, the ruling official has the option to go opposite.

Frontcourt fouls. When there is a foul ruled, the officials will reposition themselves. When the ruling official vacates her or his position, the non-ruling official being replaced by the ruling official moves to that position. The other non-involved official holds her or his position.

To report the foul, the ruling official will move to clear the players, while still moving toward the table, then make eye contact with the scorer before giving the appropriate signals and information to the scorer (as shown in the MechaniGram).

Backcourt fouls. When a foul occurs in the backcourt, the ruling official will let the players clear, make eye contact with the scorer, report the foul, and then return to the spot as the new trail when no free throws are awarded.

Backcourt fouls without free throws. There is no switch when a foul with no free throws occurs in a team’s backcourt. The officials will bump-and-run or slide, depending on the inbounds spot.

Backcourt fouls with free throws. When a foul in the backcourt results in free throws, the ruling official will go tableside. When there is a foul ruled, the officials will reposition themselves. When the ruling official vacates her or his position, the non-ruling official that is being replaced by the ruling official moves to that position. The other official holds her or his position. *

Visible Backcourt CountWhen the shot clock is turned off

(less than 30-seconds remaining in a period), the trail official must use a visible count. The 10-second backcourt count should be displayed by the official. The game clock cannot be used to make backcourt rulings. The trail official should ensure the backcourt count is visible, precise and accurate. *

Timeout PositioningDifferent timeout types exist and

each with their own positioning. Upon a timeout being granted, the recognizing official should communicate with the coach the type of timeout and notify the coach how and where play will be resumed. Upon learning of the type of timeout, the non-communicating officials will mirror the type of timeout. The official communicating with the requested team’s coach should report the timeout to the scorer by indicating the team’s jersey color and person who requested the timeout using the player’s number or making a “C” if the coach is the requester to make that indication.

The two non-reporting officials should secure the ball and assume their timeout positions, as indicated later. Upon resuming play, officials will not change positions and must maintain the position held prior to the timeout. The official who will resume play will stand at the throw-in spot. If the game will resume with a free throw, the administering official will stand at the appropriate free-throw line or under that basket. When the reporting official is the administering official, the official who secures the ball will stand at the throw-in spot until the reporting official is able to assume that position and the ball.

Positioning.Full timeout or media timeout. The two

non-administering officials will stand opposite the table at the free-throw blocks. When the throw-in spot is near a team’s bench area, the administering official will stand directly across from the throw-in spot along the opposite free-throw lane line extended.

30-second timeout (including successive 30-second timeouts). The two non-administering officials will stand in the center of the court at the top point of the three-point arc. When the throw-in spot is near a team’s bench area, the administering official will stand directly across from the throw-in spot along the same line as the non-administering officials in the center of the court.

Option-to-advance 30-second timeout. The two non-administering officials will stand in the center of the court at the top point of the three-point arc. The administering official will stand directly across from the 28-foot line in the center of the court in the frontcourt area where play will resume from.

Option-to-advance full timeout. The two non-administering officials will stand opposite the table at the free-throw blocks. The administering official will stand directly across from the 28-foot line in the center of the court in the frontcourt area where play will resume from. *

Stop-Clock Signal Required

The use of a stop-clock signal is required.

Officials are required to use the stop-

clock signal on all fouls. Officials will use a

raised arm with an open hand (stop-clock

signal) on all violations with the exception for

out-of-bounds violations.