To get this call right, you have to know the definitions of an intentional foul and a flagrant foul.
They are given in rule 4.
The definition of an intentional foul was slightly changed this year by the NFHS to improve clarity.
4-19-3: An intentional foul is a personal or technical foul that neutralizes an opponents obvious advantageous position. Contact away from the ball or when not making a legitimate attempt to play the ball, specifically designed to stop or keep the clock from starting, shall be intentional. Intentional fouls may or may not be premeditated and are not based on the severity of the act. A foul also shall be ruled intentional if while playing the ball a player causes excessive contact with an opponent.
4-19-4: A flagrant foul may be a personal or technical foul of a violent or savage nature, or a technical noncontact foul which displays unacceptable conduct. It may or may not be intentional. If personal, it involves, but is not limited to violent contact such as: striking, kicking and kneeing. If technical, it involves dead-ball contact or noncontact at any time which is extreme or persistent, vulgar or abusive conduct. Fighting is a flagrant act.
As you described the play in your post above, I'd have to say that you were incorrect and that you should indeed have called an intentional personal foul and not a flagrant personal foul. The push from behind was not a legitimate attempt to play the ball, neutralized that opponent's obvious advantageous position out in front for the lay-in, and may also have been excessive contact against a shooter. Those criteria are listed in the intentional foul definition. Furthermore, the NFHS wrote the following in this season's Points of Emphasis regarding intentional fouls:
"A. Anytime in the game. Acts that neutralize an opponents obvious advantageous position and must be deemed intentional include:
Excessive contact on any player attempting a shot
Grabbing or shoving a player from behind when an easy basket may be scored
Grabbing and holding a player from behind or away from the ball
These are non-basketball plays and
must be considered intentional fouls anytime they occur during a game."
What I put in bold seems to be the play you are asking about. It does not sound as if the push from behind was of a violent or savage nature, nor was it a striking, kicking, or kneeing action as listed in the definition of a flagrant foul.
Kudos to you for inquiring about this since you were unclear. Asking the right questions and being willing to learn will make you a better official. Hopefully, reading this and doing a little thinking will give you a solid understanding of the difference between these two types of fouls. Best wishes.
[Edited by Nevadaref on Dec 19th, 2005 at 06:59 AM]