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I dont think you will find the concept in the rule book that actually states that once the the dribbler is past the guard that the count stops. Generally it does but it is judgement not rule...
The rule says closely guarded within six feet. I am curious to see how they are going to rewrite the section this year....
I think that we are taking the path thing way out of context for the 5 second count.
The idea of "path" must be related to guarding for contact. (Especially given the context of Rule 4, where it is located, etc... I) f we were to interpret path as between offense and basket (as suggested above) that means you could only have a charging foul while the offense is moving to basket, and we know that is incorrect.
Path is always established by the moving players. Path could be away from basket to reset on play, could be to the sideline, could be to mid court. Player in those would being moving directly away from the basket...
I personally think that we read too much into this. The goal is to reward good defense and to force the offense to pass to others on the team (prevent one person from dribbling or holding the ball too long while he is being defended) The intent of the rule is to force play and not allow a team that has a super dribbler to dribble around taking time off the clock while defense is trying to make a play on him/her.
If we take the "path" thing too far a player could not guard from behind or from the side. I dont think that was the intent of this rule.
I'll give you a couple of examples where I think the concept of "path" is shaky at best...
Remember closely guarded aslo applies to those holding the ball.
A1 has ball. A2 sets up between A1 and basket for a screen. B2 sets up to A1's left and B1 sets up to A1's right, niether one are between A1 and the basket. Yet guaranteed we would start the count.
A1 is dribbling. B2 is matching stride for stride and for whatever reason B2 is on the outside of B2 but is still guarding, forcing the play, harassing A1, etc. are we going to take that defense away because he is not between A1 and the basket?
There are plenty of plays where defense may not be between the offense and the basket yet are meeting the intent of the rule.
At some point in time we have to use our judgement to determine if player is being guarded. If that means player broke free to basket (if gets ahead of one defender remember there may be another one there NFHS and NCAA rules differ here I believe) and no other defender around he may not be guarded at that point.
How many times if A1 is dribbling and B1 comes out just stands there at about 5-6 feet, not looking like he is really forcing the action, do we not start the count? I suggest lots...Defender is in the "path" and within six feet so we have to start our count right? We dont do that...
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