Is there a violation involved or a techinical foul when a player yells at another player who is about to take a shot. I tell my players that it is unsportsmanlike and not to do it, but I often see other teams do it to my players. Sometimes they will simply yell "SHOT!" in the face of the shooter, while other times they will just yell noise at them. I feel that this is grounds for a techinical foul. Am I correct or am I too picky?

Matt

The only time that it could be a violation for an opponent to yell when a player is shooting is on a free throw. An official could rule that this is disconcerting and award another throw (if unsuccessful).

Of course, players won't yell, "SHOT!" or the like on a free throw - they will yell, "I've got #25." or something to that effect.

As annoying as it is (especially things like "BALLBALLBALLBALL" on throw-ins, etc.) there is no penalty for a player doing this.

No call is there to be made, unless the offending player is cussing at the shooter, then you could warrant a T for offensive language and unsportsmanlike conduct.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by OFoley on 12-04-1999 05:28 PM
am I too picky?

Matt<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes.

Here is my take on the matter. If a player is yelling shot, there is no violation. If a player is just screaming and or clapping his hands at the players' face who is shooting, it is unsportsmanlike conduct.

no call for simply a warning call to team mates.
if yelling at a players face after a shot, perhaps a taunting and baiting "T".

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by OFoley on 12-04-1999 05:28 PM
Is there a violation involved or a techinical foul when a player yells at another player who is about to take a shot. I tell my players that it is unsportsmanlike and not to do it, but I often see other teams do it to my players. Sometimes they will simply yell "SHOT!" in the face of the shooter, while other times they will just yell noise at them. I feel that this is grounds for a techinical foul. Am I correct or am I too picky?

Matt<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As a coach, I have known coaches who tell players to call "shot," but it is not meant to disconcert the shooter. It is meant as a form of communication on defense so that players who have their backs to the basket will turn and face for the rebound.

My defenders do a similar thing in one of our trapping defenses - they call "deny" when a player picks up the dribble. This actually keys a different "phase" of our defense where the off-ball defenders overplay the passing lanes.

I would be pretty miffed if an official gave me trouble for this since it is my defenders' right to communicate with each other.

Having said that, I have seen teams that yell "ballballball," or "shot" with the apparent intention of "rattling" opponents. I don't agree with the practice from a coaching standpoint, but I don't think it should be officially penalized either. (Frankly, I think it carries its own penalty since it's usually ineffective.)

The other silly one I see a lot is a defender stomping his foot loudly at the end of a one-on-one fastbreak (rather than risking the foul). I'm not sure I get the point, but I see it a lot. Ironically, if he'd put that effort into getting down the floor, he might have had a chance to defend legally.

of course this requires a technical fault if it is done deliberately and more than one.