In this mid-season episode of the Make the Right Calls podcast, Travis Justice sits down with John Higgins to discuss the current state of basketball officiating as the season enters the home stretch. John shares his "pet peeves" from the 2025-26 season, including the need for better consistency on hand-checking (Rule 10-1.4) and the importance of officials avoiding unnecessary "politicking" with coaches during dead balls. The conversation also explores the success of the new challenge rule in reducing game times and increasing scoring.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on professional development through the John Higgins Basketball Association (JHBA). Travis highlights a unique area for improvement: "mic presence" and communication confidence when delivering monitor review decisions to a national audience. John also previews the upcoming 2026 summer camp circuit, detailing how these camps serve as the primary pipeline for officials to advance from JUCO and small college ranks into the Big 12 and other Power Five conferences.