Continuation of the collaboration between the LNB and the High-Level Refereeing Directorate with the format "The Referee Deciphers," which reviews several calls with pedagogy and numerous explanations.
Description
Monaco player Matthew Strazel and Strasbourg player Jean-Baptiste Maille come into contact off the ball. The referee stops the game and wants to calm the situation by warning both players. They continue to exchange words with each other after the warning. They are both penalized with a technical foul.
Decision
The referee was right to impose a technical foul on each player because they ignored the referee's warning and continued exchanging words with each other. It should be noted that one player from each team is penalized, the free throws cancel each other out, and they will not take place. The game will resume at the point where it was interrupted. In this example, the game will restart with a throw-in after the scored basket.
Regulation
Article 36: Technical foul
Article 42: Special Situation
Description
Le player from Le Mans, Lucas Dufeal, grabs the rebound and makes a tip-in just before the end of the quarter.
Decision
The referees must determine if the ball left the hand of the Le Mans player before the red light came on. They have the right to use video to check in case of doubt. Here, the basket is rightly awarded. As the decision is made at halftime, when the teams return to their locker rooms, it is essential that a representative from each team is present to be informed of the referees' decision following the video review.
Regulation
Article 9: Start and end of quarters, overtime, or the match
Article 16: Marked basket and its value
Description
Nancy player Phlandrous Fleming Jr commits a foul on Le Mans player Trevor Hudgins to prevent him from taking an open shot. The defender grabs the attacker's left arm.
Decision
The referees must determine here whether the foul meets one of the 4 criteria for an unsportsmanlike foul and also whether the foul occurred during the act of shooting or not. The defender grabs the attacker's left arm while the ball is on the right hand side, so he is not playing the ball, and the foul is rightly penalized as unsportsmanlike. This is a stationary shot. To be considered in the act of shooting, the attacker must have caught the ball with both hands and started their upward motion, which is not the case here. The basket is correctly disallowed, and the game will resume with the sanction of the unsportsmanlike foul (2 free throws and possession).
Regulation
Article 15: Player in the act of shooting
Article 37: Unsportsmanlike foul
Appendix F: Video Arbitrage
Description
Cholet player Keshawn Justice receives the ball behind the 3-point line and starts dribbling with his right hand while lifting his left foot to move forward.
Decision
The referee must determine which foot is the pivot foot of the ball carrier. The attacker receives the ball and places their left foot on the ground; this foot becomes the pivot foot. This pivot foot can be lifted to pass and shoot while still holding the ball, however, for a dribble start, the ball must leave the hands before the pivot foot is lifted. In this situation, the referee should have called a traveling violation.
Regulation
Article 25: The market
Description
Paris player Nadir Hifi grabs the ball with both hands and brings it up in his shooting motion. During this movement, defender Zac Cuthbertson hits the shooter's wrist.
Decision
The referee must determine the point of contact, whether the shooting action has started or not, and if the shot is for 2 or 3 points. The ball handler took the ball with both hands and began their upward motion. This is a foul during the act of shooting. Illegal contact occurs on the wrist. Referees who are unsure about the value (2 or 3 points) of the shot attempt can use video review to verify. After the video review, the shot attempt was determined to be a 3-pointer, and the game will resume with 3 free throws for the Paris player.
Regulation
Article 15: Player in the act of shooting
Article 34: Personal fault
Appendix F: Video Arbitrage
11 May 2026
