We are aware that a NBA-like remuneration will not be feasible in the NBB and, similarly, that the NBB’s remuneration is not feasible in our federations.
Maria Thereza Rezende
Written by Alice Barbosa, journalist, sports writer and founder of Árbitros NBA.
Maria Thereza Rezende is a Physical Education professional and currently heads the Referee Coordination of the Basketball Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro. Thereza still acts as table official in matches and is one of the most vocal representatives of the Brazilian refereeing.
Check out the interview about the performance of table officials, the obstacles in managing coordination, and their journey in refereeing.
– What is the challenge in managing the Federation’s refereeing coordination?
People management is an art. Coordinating referee officials that, at the time I was born, some of them already refereed high-level competitions, is something quite challenging. Even though it is sometimes misinterpreted, I face it in the best possible way – with joy, enthusiasm, and, above all, love and dedication to basketball.
– The financial reality of Brazilian sport, even if professionalized, is very different from a league like the NBA, for example. How to deal with and overcome difficulties in the assignment for the games and in managing the coordination itself with a reduced budget?
A very difficult point when we are in this position is the remuneration of officials and what goes on for some time — without adjustments — but we also know about the reality of our country and the world, especially in the last two years. We are aware that an NBA-like remuneration will not be feasible in the NBB and, similarly, that the NBB’s remuneration is not feasible in our federations.
– You play in many games as a table official. How do you manage to unite this function and FBERJ’s routine?
Now that’s my biggest passion — acting as a table official! With every assignment that comes out, I still feel those “butterflies in my stomach”; a mixture of emotion, pleasure, admiration, and interest.
– Many fans do not know in detail the role of the three table professionals. How is the table acting in a game?
In international games, we work with four table officials.
The scorer is responsible for recording in the summary all information relevant to the game: place, date and time of the game, team registration, player entries, points, fouls, times debited, among others.
The assistant scorer operates the scoreboard and assists the timekeeper.
The timer is responsible for timing the game time, times debited and game intervals, among other attributions.
The shot clock operator switches it on or reprograms it according to live ball control and other readjustments supported by FIBA rules during team possession.
In national games, we work with three table officials: scorer, timer, and the shot clock operator, with the same functions mentioned above. In this case, the timer himself/herself, in addition to being responsible for timing the game time, times debited and game intervals also operates the scoreboard.
– How did you get started in basketball?
Basketball came into my life in 2003, when a school teacher sent me to the Iguaçu Basquete Club so I could test on a team.
I joined the Rio de Janeiro State Basketball Federation – FBERJ as a table official in 2006. From then on, I fell in love with the sport and especially with its rules and game situations — since then, I have been breathing basketball 24 hours a day.
In 2017 I was invited to take a test for International Bureau Officer (FIBA), and this year I received an invitation from President Daniel Riente to coordinate the FBERJ refereeing.
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