[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Old School

Well, pardon me that I don't follow your rules blindly into oblivion. God gave me a brain and the ability to reason. I am in disagreement with the Fed. on this rule, if this is in fact the rule. In my games, I will not allow a secondary defender, to run up under a player who is about to go airborne. I consider that, too big of an advantage to the defense. Logically speaking, the offensive player had an open lane to the basket. Plus 1 to the offensive. The defensive player realizes he's out of position on this play and immediately runs over to protect the rim. (Plus another 1 to the offense). It is not the offensive player fault that the back door is open. IOW, not penalizing the offensive team for a defensive letdown. Completely different story if defender is standing there from the jump. And finally, we talk about habitual motion. When is the player in the act of shooting. Once the player starts his H/M, he is now in the act of shooting. Defensive player runs underneath him, easy block call. Offensive player is allowed to return to the floor.

I will admit, I have read the NBA code, and maybe I am somewhat bias to this play from an NBA prospective. I'm going to side on the NBA on this one because it just makes better basketball since to me. I am also not refereeing by milliseconds or split-seconds. That is cutting it too close for my comfort and I can not consistently call a game by milliseconds. What I mean is that, if in order to determine if I am right or wrong, it comes down to a split-second. Half the time I'm going to be right and half the time I'm going to guess wrong, because if we're talking split-second, I'm guessing. Notice how the OP was not sure he made the right call until he went back and watched the film afterwards. If I have to go to a monitor to determine if I made the correct call, and that comes down to a split-second, then I'm totally guessing. In this stitch, he got lucky making that call.

IMO, that's a block. The defense is given to huge of an advantage here when they where in fact the ones that erred. You can't cover the entire court. So I guess I did not attend your class. However, I do not believe that my analogy is horse manure because another association agrees with me too, and I know they don't want that called an offensive foul in college men's. Restricted area, lower block to the basket, especially if the play originates from the top, which this play did.

BTW, what's a Padawan Learner??

Old School:

What are you advocating is not "old school." What I am telling you is how the rules committees have wanted it called for at least 50 years, and I have been a boys'/girls' H.S. official for 36 years, women's college for 33 years, and men's college and FIBA for 14 years. What you are advocating is wrong and shows a lack of understanding of the rules and how and why they are written. I feel sorry for you.

MTD, Sr.