Give Me Control: Referees’ errors played a part in Panathinaikos win over Zalgiris

Last week, in protest of the officiating during its derby loss at Olympiacos, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens lowered their arena banner during halftime, honoring Dejan Bodiroga, a former Serbian star who now serves as EuroLeague president and oversees the league’s refereeing department.

BasketNews referee consultant Todd Warnick wonders in this week’s Give Me Control column if Bodiroga’s banner should be re-hung following a series of incorrect calls that likely played a significant role in Panathinaikos’ Round 31 home victory over Zalgiris Kaunas, 92-88. 

Todd also takes a look at what he thinks is perhaps the most senseless act of shooting decision that he’s seen this season.

Crucial Calls Went Against Zalgiris

While there weren’t many incorrect officiating decisions in this game, those that were made likely influenced the final score; unfortunately, most of them seemed to have gone against the visiting team.

It is a poor look for the EuroLeague when referee errors consistently disadvantage visiting squads, much like what Panathinaikos experienced in last week’s derby at Olympiacos.

The Aggrieved Moses Wright 

Moses Wright is Zalgiris’ second leading scorer, and as the EuroLeague announcer pointed out, he’s been “on fire” over the last three games, averaging 19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds (including 4.0 offensive boards).

Of course, he should be called for any fouls he commits, just like any other player.

Although a single officiating error in the first quarter is undesirable, teams and players can typically adjust and accept it as part of the game.

But two officiating errors within the first 3:45 of play against a key player can derail a team’s strategy in an unfair way.

It forces the coach to substitute the player and limits how aggressive the player can be when he comes back in. 

On this drive to the basket at 6:31 in the 1st quarter, Wright collides with Mathias Lessort.

Lessort does not establish a legal guarding position on the play and turns his body into the charging Wright. An offensive foul is called for what should be a defensive block on Lessort. 

Just 15 seconds later at 6:15, Lessort posts up on Wright, who is called for holding – and his second personal foul. However, there is no evidence that the defender’s contact impeded Lessort in any way.  

We also see on replay that Wright maintained a legal arm bar; in fact, it was the offensive player who wiped the defender’s arm away during the spin.

Wright is, of course, now apoplectic at being called for his 2nd personal foul.

Coach Tomas Masiulis was forced to substitute Wright for Laurynas Birutis. While a solid contributor, Birutis is not Wright, who finished with only 13 minutes of playing time—well below his 22-minute average. 

Absurd Act of Shooting Decisions

At 6:41 in the 3rd period, Cedi Osman runs into Ignas Brazdeikis during transition. The Zalgiris defender is not in legal guarding, and a foul call is correct – but awarding Osman three shots is not.

When contact occurs, Osman’s upward motion has not begun (which is the criteria per FIBA rules and the EuroLeague Officiating Manual).

Moreover, common sense dictates that such a long-distance, non-basketball play should almost never be considered an act of shooting. 

But this was not the most absurd decision of the night.

With 7:54 remaining in the game, Hayes-Davis gathers a rebound and begins to dribble up court.

Nigel Williams-Goss quickly impedes his progress and is called initially and correctly for a blocking foul on the floor.

Hayes-Davis vehemently protests to the referee, and Coach Ergin Ataman challenges the call.

Inexplicably, the referees decide that Hayes-Davis’ manufactured shot from 22 meters (!) should be upgraded to an act of shooting foul, and the PAO player receives three free throws.

In a season full of absurd act of shooting foul calls on non-basketball, long-distance shots, this is probably the worst one that I’ve seen all season – and given the number of these plays that we’ve repeatedly examined in this column, that’s already saying a lot!

Wright and Lessort – Again!

With 4:11 left in the game, this is a close play, but ultimately, initial contact is not in the torso.

Once again, Wright is the aggrieved player who is called for the offensive foul, and Lessort is the beneficiary of the referees’ incorrect decision.  

Just a minute later, at 3:01, Sylvain Francisco is playing hard-nosed perimeter defense on Jerian Grant.

I’m not sure I buy Franco’s claim that he got hit high, but there is also no evidence that he committed any illegal action on the offensive player.   

Poor Moses Wright

Finally, with 1:13 to go and the score 83-80 after a Zalgiris comeback, Hayes-Davis passes to Grant and cuts to the basket.

His defender – Wright – gets nailed with an illegal screen by Kendrick Nunn, which frees up Hayes-Davis for the open layup. 

Let’s tally these plays up: 

2 shots not given to Wright for what should have been Lessort’s blocking foul. Panathinaikos went 5-of-6 on free throws for 3-shot fouls that should have been called on the floor. Wright should have had 2 free throws, but he didn’t because the blocking foul on Lessort was not called. Two points for Lessort that should have been negated due to Nunn’s illegal screen. 

You do the math – but what is not calculable is the effect of the two early incorrect calls on Wright, which took him out of the game early and unfairly forced Zalgiris to change its game plan and strategy.

Lessort Shows What PAO’s Been Missing

Todd Warnick is a referee consultant for BasketNews. He refereed for many years at the top levels of Israeli and international basketball. After his retirement, he consulted, coached, mentored, and evaluated referees on behalf of the officiating departments of the Euroleague, FIBA, and Israel.

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