[JPS]

This season with the institution of the arc near the basket in college basketball, I expected that it would help clean up play somewhat in terms of the block/charge. The reason being that secondary defenders will know they need to establish legal guarding position sooner and further out on the court in order to draw a charge, rather than clogging the middle.

In the past I've been pretty good at knowing which way an official will make such a call. But I must say that as the season has progressed I'm now completely confused as to what a block and what a charge is. Nearly every game I've seen examples where a charge is called despite the fact that the defender is still moving and did not establish legal guarding position. The only common denominator appears to be whether the defender (whether primary or secondary) is outside the arc (in which case it's called a charge regardless of legal guarding position) or not. In other words, it seems that the main factor is not whether the defender has established legal guarding position, but WHERE on the floor he is when contact occurs.

I'm not an official but wanted to check with the professionals on this to see if this was the intention of the new rule or not (I went back to read the NCAA's comments when the rule was enacted and didn't get this impression whatsoever). If it's not the intention, then why are so many calls being made this way ? Is it asking too much for an official to look at BOTH the defender's position on the floor and whether he achieved legal guarding position ?

Just wondering,

Jon