Quote:
Originally posted by Jurassic Referee
Rule 4-45-VERTICALITY
Verticality applies to a legal position.The basic components of the principle of verticality are:
ART 2: The defender may not "belly up" or use the lower part of the body to cause contact outside his/her vertical plane which is a foul.
Also, from the POE's in the 2003-04 rule book:
A player has the right to any spot on the floor he or she may get to legally. To obtain or maintain a legal rebounding position, a player may not:
- extend shoulders, hips or knees, or extend the arms or elbows fully or partially in in a position other than vertical, so that the opponent's freedom of movement is hindered when contact with the arm or elbows occur.
- bend his or her body into an abnormal position to hold or displace an opponent.
- violate the principle of verticality.
- better his or her position by other than legal means.
The same principles apply to a player with the ball and the defender guarding him/her. Both players are bound equally by these principles.
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So which of these principles did the defender break?
1. Did he use his belly or lower body to cause contact? Unclear from the OP, but he certainly could have just been very close without contact.
2. Did he push or displace his opponent? Same as #1.
3. Did he extend his arms, elbows, or knees in a non vertical position and contact the opponent? Nope. The opponent's elbow contacted him.
It seems to me that when the offensive player leaned backwards all the defender did was fill that spot on the floor. Now the offensive player bent back into that original position and contacted the vertical defender.
So I don't see how MTD can positively declare that this is a foul by B1.
If B1 merely moved closer, closer, and closer without contact and moved into the area A1 vacated by leaning back, then the foul may well have been by A1 in the original play.