No, it's not. There's a casebook play to that very point.

From 2002-03 book:

10.6.1 SITUATION E: B1 attempts to steal the ball from stationary A1 who is holding the ball. B1 misses the ball and falls to the floor. In dribbling away, A1 contacts B1' s leg, loses control of the ball and falls to the floor. Ruling: No infraction or foul has occurred and play continues. Unless B1 made an effort to trip or block A1, he/she is entitled to a position on the court even if it is momentarily lying on the floor after falling down. (7-4-1, 2)

Glad I didn't bet on that one :)

Still, I think that the case is different than the original play described -- getting down on all fours. That is just simply not part of basketball.

Something about the spirit of the rules comes to mind here...

I agree with Brad. Also, I think it is interesting to note that the casebook play uses the word "momentarily" on the ground. Meaning, due to a fall s/he is "momentarily' on the ground and will immediately get back up. Getting down on all fours to screen someone has got to be something more than momentary ;)

The key for me is that the rules for screening say a player cannot bend his/her body in an "other than normal" manner. Unless someone can convince me that getting on all fours is part of "normal," this is a foul if it in any way impedes the movement of the opponent; with or without the ball.

Agree, just pointing out that being on the floor doesn't mean automatic foul.

I would, however, call a block for setting a screen by, as Snaqwells has said, <b>bend[ing] his/her body in an "other than normal" manner</b>.

It's certainly a foul, but for different reasons.

I think that the difference is an inadvertant act vs. a deliberate act.

I'd even be inclined to call a T on as an unsportsmanlike act depending on the previous tone of the game.

Some might suggest that it could only be a personal foul but I argue that the mere act of getting on the floor with the intention of tripping someone in this manner is really the actual infraction, not the contact itself. The contact just cements the call.

First, I would like to thank Cameron, for looking up the appropriate Casebook Play for me, because I was too lazy to look it up for myself.

Second, since I have been lazy about this play, so let me play Devil's Advocate for a while.

Larks, quoted the first sentence of NFHS R10-S6-A1, which states: "A player shall not: hold, push, charge, trip; nor impede the progress of an opponent by extending an arm, shoulder, hip or knee, or by bending the body into other than a normal position; nor use any rough tactics."

I think that R4-S39 and R10-S6-A1 are the relevant rules that apply to this thread's play.


It is my opinion that A2, as long as met the requirements of R4-S39-A5, then his position on the floor is legal. While Camron's Casebook Play refers to a player who has fallen to the floor, while A2 in this thread's play intentionally went to the floor on all fours, I still believe his position on the floor is legal.

The next question is whether or not A2 is bending his body into other than a normal position. If A2 is standing on his feet, then a normal position would be standing in an upright position and to bend his body to the left or right or front or back from his vertical standing position and causes contact is a violation of R10-S6-A1. If A2 is on all fours, then he is in a normal position for a person being on all fours. From that position if A2 leans out of his vertical in any direction and causes contact then he has violated R10-S6-A1.

If A2 does not violate R4-S39-A5 and does not bend his body, then the part of R10-S6-A1 that I would apply to this play is that a player should not use rough tactics, and in my opinion this is a rough tactic. I would go as far as to say that A2's conduct could be considered a flagrant foul.

MTD, Sr.

MTD,
There seem to be several different calls that could be reasonably justified. To me, I would *at least* call an illegal screen, as the body is bent out of normal basketball position. I think that's a valid interp here. The point is, it doesn't take any stretching to call this some sort of foul.

Adam

No Way JR, thats hilarious!!!

So which is it MTD? Are you saying its legal but flagrant?

After I logged off last night, I realized that I really had not given an answer to how I would handle this play.

I have two ways to handle the play.

1) If I see A2 go down on all fours and I can stop play before B1 makes contact with A2, I will treat A2 as an injured player. I will ask him if he is okay and wants to stay in the game or does he want his coach take him out of the game? Coach A will not like me stopping a fastbreak for his team, but so be it, because it is going to beat how I handle the play if B1 makes contact with A2. Which leads me to:

2) If I cannot stop play before B1 makes A2, then I have a flagrant personal foul on A2, because I would have to believe that the ensuing collision between B1 and A2 would be nasty and B1 could get seriously injured by A2's stupidity.

MTD, Sr.