[BillyMac]

Disclaimer: For IAABO eyes only. Below is not a NFHS interpretation, it's only an IAABO International interpretation which obviously doesn't mean a hill of beans to most members of this Forum.

https://storage.googleapis.com/refqu...J4vivTJh4D.mp4

IAABO Play Commentary Correct Answer: This is a handchecking foul.

As the player receives the ball, the defender places his left hand on the ball handler. As the offensive player begins to dribble, the defender extends an arm bar into the dribbler's torso. When the dribbler changes directions, the defender then places his right hand on the dribbler's torso.

This contact committed by the defender on the ball handler is clearly illegal, and a foul should have been ruled as soon as the arm bar was extended into the torso of the dibbler. Nearly 85% of respondents were correct to deem this contact illegal and assess a foul to the defender on this play.

For the 15% of respondents who ruled this contact incidental, many commented that the dribbler's freedom of movement was not inhibited, so the contact should be incidental. When it comes to contact on a ball-handler, this approach is not supported by rule 10-7-12.

The following acts constitute a foul when committed against a ball handler/dribbler.
a. Placing two hands on the player.
b. Placing an extended armbar on the player.
c. Placing and keeping a hand on the player.
d. Contacting the player more than once with the same hand or alternating hands.

In these four instances, the rules are telling officials that the contact is inhibiting the ball handler, and a foul must be ruled. In recent years, officials at all levels have made great strides in enforcing these rules. Keep the defender's hands off ball handlers should be a priority for officials every time they step on the court to officiate the game.

Here is the breakdown of the IAABO members that commented on the video: This is a handchecking foul 85% (including me). This is not a handchecking foul 15%.