MIES (Switzerland) – Anticipating the plays and mastering the shift of the secondary defender are the core of elite officiating. In the latest FIBA Referee Operation’s Monday Special webinar hosted by Greydy Diaz, Referee Instructor Roberto Chiari breaks down the tactical shifts required to officiate help defence. This session goes beyond the basics. We’ll show you how to use Individual Officiating Techniques (IOT) to stay sharp and make the right calls during the toughest plays.

 

A proactive approach to the secondary defender 

The discussion featured deep technical insights into how the Lead, Centre, and Trail must coordinate to cover the "help." Chiari addressed a key challenge: while many focus on the ball, the elite referee anticipates the secondary defender moving into the play before the contact occurs. By maintaining a 45-degree open angle and staying focused on Legal Guarding Position (LGP), positioning becomes intuitive. Referees are able to "pass the play" between areas of responsibility, allowing the Lead to focus on the feet while the Centre watches the upper body, eliminating "double whistles" and ensuring the right call is made on the move.

 

Elevating your game preparation 

This webinar is a must-watch for any referee looking to elevate their coverage of complex defensive plays. It provides a roadmap for identifying the "crash" early and offers practical methods to analyse team help-side tendencies effectively. You will learn how mastering the transition from primary to secondary coverage leads to better decision-making, and higher-quality officiating in a 3PO system.
 

Watch the Full Webinar            

 

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Monday Special Webinars – FIBA Referee Operations’ monthly webinar series running during the basketball season. The webinars provide referees and other basketball enthusiasts with wide-ranging insights into basketball and officiating topics, featuring diverse viewpoints and learning opportunities from a wide range of experts.