All referees in SA just got a direction to referee that out of the game

What games are you watching, basketball has become over umpired with ticky touch fouls being called

Basketball in SA is getting crazy. You can't guard someone without getting a foul called. It's going to further damage to SA's competitiveness as our players are not used to competing in a physical game.

Basketball in SA is getting crazy. You can't guard someone without getting a foul called. It's going to further damage to SA's competitiveness as our players are not used to competing in a physical game.

WHAT A RUBBISH STATEMENT, THE GAME IS SHOWING SIGNS OF AUSTRALIAS DESENSITISATION TO BODY CONTACT. FOOTBALL AND RUGBY, FIGHT CLUBS AND GLORIFICATION OF PHYSICAL CONTACT ON TV AND VIDEOS ARE WELL STUDIED TO HAVE AN AFFECT ON PHYSICAL TOLERANCE...…

TEACH KIDS SKILLS NOT PHYSICALITY…. THEN WE WILL SEE BETTER BASKETBALL… NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND… PHYSICALITY IS AN EXCUSE FOR PLAYERS WHO DO NOT HAVE SKILL. YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOT WATCHED QUALITY NATIONAL LEVEL COMPETITIONS AND OBVIOUSLY CONSIDER IT ACCEPTABLE BASED ON LOWER GRADE, POOR OFFICIATED TOURNAMENTS INCLUDING OUR OWN RECENT STATE CHAMPS WHERE THE VIC UMPIRES WERE THE WORST.

IF YOU WANT PHYSICALITY THEN GO TO FOOTBALL !!!!

^^ Spoken like a ref!

Vic umpires are far ahead of SA refs.

Don't want the game to be a beat down but you need to be able to defend your man body on body without a ref calling a foul every time there is contact even if you get into position.

No - You GOT IT WRONG - NOT A REF.....

You are talking about one issue that does occur, the issue raised is about the overall hip and shoulder, slashing and so on that is occurring.

if i was a ref I would read and understand the rules and apply them...

What should be reffed out of basketball is hip and shoulder or elbow off the ball. Also the swinging arm and hand to the face. Sick of seeing kids getting a poke in the eye or fist across the scone from defenders pretending to go for the ball.

VJBL is one of the worst. Just watch some VC games, so inconsistent with the officiating, one week it is soft and the next week it is murder ball.

Here is what I don't like to see. Player posts up in key and gets grabbed, pushed, bumped and elbowed. Can't get ball in to him because it becomes a wrestle.

Official blows whistle, what is the call?

3 seconds in the key on the offence, turnover to the defender who is doing what?

Tell me this isn't what we like to see in the game Dave?

Bump the cutter within the rules, by all means, but go and play football FGS if you want to grapple and hold as there is no place for it in basketball!

Don't get me started on all the moving screens and shepparding.. THIS IS NOT FOOTBALL and Refs please know the rules...….The basketball ones that is…..

It is a cycle. Refs make shocking class against clean blocks, so players start using bodies to bump with hands up as only way to defend.

It all comes back to bad refs not recognising clean shot blocking and rewarding crap offence.

At what age do you consider it okay to start being that physical then ????

@Dave, what you don't get mate is that football is played on grass, it is forgiving and the players are able to get pushed and bumped off balance all the time because they land on a soft surface that doesn't usually worry them. They will just get some grass and mud on them and continue on.

Basketball is played on a hard timber surface, at what point don't you get that it is not within the spirit or rules of the game to allow defenders to contact their opponents in a way that endangers them?

Gee wizz, we are talking about two different things here I think. Yes, it is a physical game, but there are rules in basketball and they are there for a good reason. We are not happy about the way it is heading, no one is suggesting the kids are soft or the game is soft, but the trends are alarming.

Where do we go from here, if we allow the physicality to escalate?

OP sounds like the classic sook who folds under the slightest pressure.
The way the game is being called here (and the newest release of "interpretations" is only going to make it worse), no one will be allowed to play any defense of any type.
The best offense will be out of control drives with bailout calls.
All of which will see us fail at a national level as we won't be able to play with national/international interpretations.

anon#945 I don't think the OP is referring to pressure created by good defence. Rather the off ball incidents that don't get picked up and the swinging arm stuff we need to get out of the game.

Kind of like football where we see the niggle and elbow throwing behind the play and off the ball, we now see in basketball in under 16-18 and above.

I believe the OP is making an observation; you are just making an assumption.