Closely Guarded

[blindzebra]

Originally posted by Kelvin green
Path is not toward the basket. Never has. never will be. Never Never Never... If this were the case you cannot call a charge unless defender is between offense and basket. Offensive player sets the path

I cannot find my most recent books however Case NUmber 9.10.1 from the 2002/2003 casebook

Team A has the ball in their own front court. B1 stands within within 6ft and facing A1 while A1 is holding ball near division line. Ruling In 5 seconds this would be a violation. as soon as B1 has assumed guarding position, both feet on the fllor, facing the opponent, no other specific requirement is in effect. .... dont see path there! In fact they state there is no other specific requirement except to face the player and be within 6 feet!



I am going to be anal about this one... I will concede that guarding is to place the body in the path to get as the rules will call it INITIAL GUARDING position. But nowhere is path defined as between player and basket. If you take this to a logical conclusion then

Article 4 would then read ---If the opponent with the ball is airborne the guard must have obtained legal position BETWEEN THE PLAYER AND THE BASKET before the player left the floor.

Article 5b would then read The guard must BE BETWEEN THE PLAYER AND THE BASKET an must give the time/distance to avoid contact (screening)

It doesnt imply or mean that at all!

We can nitpick the semantics. Maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree!

There is no play I can think of where you have a charge where the defender is not in the path to the basket. Even when A1 is behind the backboard and jumps back into B1, A1's path was still toward B1 and the basket.