This is no longer the local-guy-makes-good story. Josh Tiven is a veritable veteran now, six years into his officiating career in the National Basketball Association, a Lisbon native and Ledyard High grad that made the playoffs this season, all the way to working the Eastern Conference finals as an alternate.

And he’s still all ours. He lives in Waterford with his wife and children, hits the little white ball at Great Neck Country Club and even keeps up (as best he can) with the locals watching live-streamed games on theday.com.

“It was a dream. Now it’s a dream come true,” Tiven was saying over the weekend, visiting Keith O’Brien, otherwise known as The Sports Doctor, who in addition to broadcasting and talk show duties on theday.com, hosts his own radio show devoted to local sports Saturday mornings on 94.9 FM (and a must listen). “There are 64 NBA referees in the world.”

Thus making it easier to play in the NBA than officiate there.

To think it was more than 10 years ago now that Tiven, not all that north of 30, got a chance to call the Eastern Connecticut Conference championship game at Conway Gym. It was 2004, Fitch at New London, a classic, after which victorious Fitch coach Tom Doyle was sweating more than his players.

"It was like 32-30 after the first quarter. I've had pro games that didn't have that much scoring. I always thanked Dave (Boland, the assigner at the time) for that chance," Tiven said. "A lot of assigners are big on senior guys. But Dave always said the best guys will do the big games, whether they're 25 or 50."

Tiven's break came that summer when, after officiating summer NBA camps across the country, he encountered veteran NBA referee Ronnie Nunn in the New York Pro-Am League. Nunn, who became the NBA supervisor of officials, liked Tiven and invited him to the NBA Summer League in Salt Lake City.

He was in the NBA six years later in August, 2010. Turns out that Peter Vincent, a teacher of his at the time at Ledyard, provided some sagely advice during a conversation Vincent may not remember.

"I knew I wasn't going to college. I had a job in a grocery store," Tiven said. “But Pete Vincent (Ledyard's boys' basketball coach at the time) comes up to me and says, 'what are you doing next year? I bet you'd make a good referee.'"

The winter after graduation, Tiven's first game happened. Freshman basketball, Montville at Ledyard. The coaches: Kevin Willoughby (Ledyard) and Phil Orbe (Montville).

Now it’s Gregg Popovich (San Antonio) and Steve Kerr (Golden State).

Tiven, who was noticed at a camp, is part of the evaluation process now. Want to be a serious ref? Read on:

“I think what you look for is confidence. The way guys carry themselves without being arrogant,” Tiven said. “You look for nice signals, mechanics. Good athleticism. If they look fit.”

You’ll note that Tiven didn’t mention whether they got the block/charge right.

“When you’re dealing with a new ref, it’s more about how they look, run and carry themselves,” he said. “We can teach judgment things.”

They’re certainly evaluated on them. Like every game. Tiven said postgame with officiating crew extends well beyond something to eat and a shower.

“Every arena has a video system tied to the (NBA) replay center,” Tiven said. “We’ll look at anywhere from 10-15 plays on the game report. We discuss them honestly. Then we’ll go back to the hotel and go to the crew chief’s room and watch them all over again.”

And he’s not yelled at as much as you think.

“I’ve officiated at every level,” he said. “The most professional guys I’ve ever dealt with, by far, are NBA coaches. The most out of control I’ve ever dealt with are high school guys. Some of them are unbelievable.”

The NBA, suddenly, has more relevance in this corner of the world. Kris Dunn will be playing there soon. The Celtics and Knicks should be better (although dopey DirecTV insists the Nets are our “home” team). And now you never know if you flip on a game whether you’ll see the local guy with the whistle.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.