Quote:
Originally Posted by Camron Rust
Looking at the rule on guarding and LGP, it appears the author of the article has a point.
RULE 4 SECTION 23 GUARDING
ART. 1 . . . Guarding is the act of legally placing the bodyin the path of an offensive opponent. .....ART. 3 . . . After the initial legal guarding position is obtained: c. The guard may raise hands or jump within his/her own vertical plane. The rule basically says that the right to the the space above you depends on having LGP. If you don't have LGP, you can't extend your arms upward or jump and be protected from committing a foul in that space.
Whether you call it a block or illegal use of hands is a different issue, but the rule does support the authors claim that the defender doesn't get verticality if they don't have LGP. |
Camron:
I beg to differ with you concerning verticality. And I beg the indulgence of the readers my post for allowing me a somewhat lengthy disertation.
NFHS R4-S24 (Hands and Arms, Legal and Illegal Use):
Article 1: "It is legal to extend the arms vertically above the shoulders and need not be lowered to avoid contact with an opponent when the action of the opponent causes contact. This legal use of the arms and hands usually occurs when guarding the player making a throw-in, the player with the ball in pressing tactics and a player with the ball who is maneuvering to try for goal by pivoting, jumping, etc."
NCAA R4-S36 (Hands and Arms, Use of):
Article 1: "The arms may be extended vertically above ones shoulder and need not be lowered to avoid contact with an opponent when the action of the opponent causes contact."
NFHS R4-S37 (Rebounding):
Article 3: "Every player is entitled to a spot on the playing court, provided the player gets there first without illegally contacting an opponent."
NCAA R4-S55 (Rebounding):
Article 3: "Every player shall be entitled to a spot on the playing court, provided that such player gets there first without illegally contacting an opponent."
NFHS R4-S40 (Screen):
Article 2d: "To establish a legal screening position The screener must stay within his/her vertical plane with a stance approximately shoulder width apart."
NCAA R4-S59 (Screen):
Article 2a: "In establishing and maintaining legal screening tactics, the screener shall stay within his or her vertical plane with a stance no wider than shoulder width apart and shall not lean into the path of an opponent or extend hips into that path, even though the feet are stationary."
FIBA R6 (Fouls):
Article 33 (Contact: General Principles):
33.1 (Cylinder Principle): "The cylinder principle is defined as the space within an imaginary cylinder occupied by a player on the floor. It includes the space above the player and is limited to:
The front by the palms of the hands,
The rear by the buttocks, and
The sides by the outside edge of the arms and legs.
The hands and arms may be extended in front of the torso no further than the
position of the feet, with the arms bent at the elbows so that the forearms and hands are raised. The distance between his feet will vary according to his height."
33.2 (Principle of Verticality): "During the game, each player has the right to occupy any position (cylinder) on the playing court not already occupied by an opponent. This principle protects the space on the floor which he occupies and the space above him when he jumps vertically within that space. As soon as the player leaves his vertical position (cylinder) and body contact occurs with an opponent who had already established his own vertical position (cylinder), the player who left his vertical position (cylinder) is responsible for the contact. The defensive player must not be penalised for leaving the floor vertically (within his cylinder) or having his hands and arms extended above him within his own cylinder. The offensive player, whether on the floor or airborne, shall not cause contact with the defensive player in a legal guarding position by:
Using his arms to create additional space for himself (clear-out).
Spreading his legs or arms to cause contact during or immediately after a shot for a field goal."
33.3 (Legal Guarding Position): Same as NFHS and NCAA.
33.4 (Guarding a player who controls the ball): Same as NFHS and NCAA.
33.5 (Guarding a player who does not control the ball): Same as NFHS and NCAA.
33.6 (A player who is in the air): Same as NFHS and NCAA.
33.7 (Screening: Legal and illegal): Same as NFHS and NCAA.
I quote the FIBA definition of verticality because the interpretation and philosophy of the NBCUSC (Nat'l. Bkb. Comm. of the U.S. and Canada), NFHS, NCAA, and NAGWS (Nat'l. Assn. of Girls and Women in Sports) has been the same as the FIBA defintion for well over 45 years. And that is a player is entitled to his spot on the court from the floor to the ceiling as long as he accuires that spot on the court legally with respect to the other players on the court.
While B3 had not obtained (NFHS)/estalished (NCAA/FIBA) a LGP against A3, she had set a legal screen against A3. Let us tweak the play just slightly. Instead of A3 leaning in during a field goal attempt, A3 is jumping to secure a rebound. B3 has a legal position on the court and A3 can not displace B3 in order to occupy that sport on the court. If A3 contacts B3's vertically extended arms and the contact causes B3 to not secure the ball, then A3 has committed a foul.
MTD, Sr.