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Originally Posted by rainmaker
Nothing specifically says he can't do this particular action, but there are a lot of actions that aren't specifically described that you'd stop someone from doing.
I'm envisioning a stoppage of play when the refs are reporting a foul, conferring with the table maybe, calling in subs, players are milling around. A1 is as close to B2 as white on rice that whole time. I'm seeing less than six inches of blue sky between them the whole time. The one guy right in front of the other. Can you imagine the guarded person just ignoring this? It's just really, really borderline in my opinion, and there's no reason for it. It certainly would require close attention.
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What are players supposed to be doing while an official is reporting a foul? Preparing for the next play, right?
Now granted this is a bit different, but different does not equate to illegal. Don't penalize someone for using a tactic that is a strange.
The strangeness is exactly what could make it effective. People are thrown off by things that are different. If the defender's tactic can make the opponent uncomfortable, then perhaps this could benefit his team. Perhaps the opponent will lose mental focus and not shoot as well.
If you are ever encountered with this defensive tactic, as I was, I would hope that you would watch it closely, but not deem it in and of itself illegal. Allow the coaches and players to be creative with their tactics. What you may see as annoying or irksome, another may consider clever. The NFHS book says that cleverness is encouraged right in the front in the Intent and Purpose of the Rules.