3-person coverage is a triangle. The court is a rectangle. What could go wrong?
A lot apparently, as I recently learned in preparing for this week’s session, “How To Watch Film: Avoiding Weak Spots.” Check out my conversation below with NBA Finals referee James “Gucci” Williams and NBA VP Head of Replay Kane Fitzgerald.
And try RefMasters University for free to see the session in all it’s glory.
Until then, go forth and RUN THE GAME!
-Sony Tiwari, Co-Founder & CEO-
SONY: This session touches on a more advanced subject for referees. It’s not simply about coverage areas, or even just open and closed looks. What’s this really about?
KANE: It's developing an awareness of where your teammates need help when the ball is in certain positions on the floor. And that comes down to creating great crew dynamics and trusting that your partner knows when you have a bad look. As a result, you’re not going to guess on plays because they have your back.
But again, that requires a strong crew dynamic where people are encouraged to step up when needed. And if you're the leader on a crew, your role is making sure they feel free to do that. Then they’ll feel the freedom to call what they see and help out in those weak spots.
SONY: Let’s back-up for a moment. When we say “weak spot” what does that really mean?
KANE: In the three-person system, you’re set up in a triangle. But the game's played in a rectangle, so that creates incompatible angles. Based on those angles, you have different weak spots around the floor depending on where the ball is. For example, when the ball is between Lead and Trail at the strong-side elbow. That's a weak spot for jump shots because you tend to be behind the offensive player or behind the defender.
In that case the Center, who's looking in that perpendicular angle across the court along the free throw line, may have the best look. Even though it's further away from them and right on the edge of their primary! So that's what we mean by weak spots. They’re different spots on the floor in a three-person system that make it difficult to see.
SONY: My mind is blown right now. So what's another weak spot that you find difficult to deal with?
JAMES: For me, it’s plays down the Center-side lane line, because they happen so many times a game. A true weak spot in the coverage. And because so many drives take place in that area, everyone on the crew has to understand where the help should come from and how to provide that help. It's not going to happen overnight where people just flip a switch and now they can do it every single time.
But what we want to do at RefMasters University is start putting this concept in your mind. The more we discuss it and the more you see it, the more you start to instinctively understand how to cover those areas. Those Center-side lane line drives are tough covers. They tend to end up as NCI, or “no call: incorrect,” just based on the way the system is set up. We want to give people the knowledge to help them minimize those.
SONY: What's one or two things you would advise for a referee to do better in these situations?
KANE: It starts in your pregame with the crew. If you talk about those those spots and the play types that often occur, you're prepping your mind to react confidently. You’ll know in advance that rebounding action on the weak-side block is a weak spot. Like James said, you’ll know drives on the Center-side lane line are a weak spot. Strong side elbow jumpers. You have all these different spots. Now when those plays happen the light bulb goes off. You’ll be confident it’s your play even if you’re furthest from it. Then there’s the cadence of when your whistle should go and there are layers to that of course.
But then the flip side is knowing when your teammate has the look even though it's closer to you. For example, if I'm in Center and the shot goes up. I have a rebounding coverage right on my weak side block, right? But I also know when they're stacked, I can only see the back of the player that's on the backside of the box out. If I’ve discussed this type of play with the crew, I know Trail’s antennas are going up so it's my job to be disciplined and not guess. Now it's Trail’s job to now pick up the slack, knowing that's a weak spot for me in Center. It’s all about teamwork and trust.
SONY: Incredible stuff! Why haven’t I heard more about this topic?
JAMES: It’s extremely rare for people to cover this topic, you’re right. I think it’s hard to teach because many people simply don't know it. Instead, we just leave it to whether a play happens to be in someone’s general area of responsibility. Or we rely on what what a senior official says without understanding why. And that leads to more errors at these weak spots. What we're doing with this particular session is studying something that hasn't been studied much before, which is generally our goal at RefMasters.
Let’s Talk About The NBA Finals
We’re humanizing referees on pod at a time! In this week’s episode:
The crew talk officiating on the world's biggest stage.
James highlights the differences from of a regular season game.
Kane talks about his first call ever made.
Sony marvels at a clutch referee performance in 2016.
Gucci reminisces about meeting Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
Our Latest T-Shirt
NBA great Rasheed Wallace may have popularized the saying “ball don’t lie!” but referees know that quite often, it does! This tri-blend tee combines the comfort of cotton with the durability of polyester to create a unique, unisex t-shirt that is impeccable in quality and style. Each shirt comes with side seams to remain like new for longer, shoulder tapes that prevent stretching and a ribbed knit collar that helps retain the shirt’s shape. So at least the shirt’s honest.
50% Polyester 25% Combed and ring-spun Cotton 25% Rayon
Extra Light fabric (3.8 oz/yd² (110 g/m²))
Sewn in label
Retail Fit
RefMasters University This Summer
To maximize your offseason growth, RefMasters University offers a comprehensive platform designed to keep your referee game strong:
RefMasters University Courses: Dive into courses that deepen your understanding of the game, improve your officiating techniques, and keep you updated on the latest in basketball officiating. With a 30-day free trial, you can explore everything RefMasters University has to offer at no cost. Visit our new website at RefMasters University for more information.
Summer Camp: Attend the RefMasters Summer Camp on July 19-21 at Virginia Beach. Here, you’ll work with top NBA referees, engage in high-level game analysis, and get hands-on experience that’s invaluable for your professional growth. It's an opportunity to showcase your skills in front of NCAA and NBA scouts while connecting with other passionate officials. RefMasters University members also receive a $50 discount.
Daily Learning in the App: Download the RefMasters App to share and review game footage, not just of yourself but of other referees and games. Analyze every facet of the game including decisions, positioning, and communication. We find this form of study is crucial for accelerating improvement.
📣 Stay updated with all the latest news and insights in the world of officiating by following RefMasters on our social media platforms! 📲 Join our community of passionate referees and sports officials as we share valuable tips, educational content, and exclusive behind-the-scenes moments.
Linked In TikTok Instagram Facebook