Need a clarification on the sitch last night....

A1 drives to the basket straight down the middle from the top of the free throw line. B1 grabs him to prevent the basket. It wasn't a hard foul - just grabbed him. Both players stayed erect an didn't retaliate in any way. Both of us blew the whistle at the same time. I'm the trail in the sitch, but the "R" in the game, so my partner wants my opinion. He motions to me to discuss. The foul happened right in front of him - so I ask what's the call?

He tell's me "I think we've got two choices here. It's an intentional foul. It can be a personal or technical". I smilled and said, "right on brother"!

My partenr said "I don't want to call a T in the close game. What do you think about a personal foul only"? My initial reaction was to go the other way and tell him to call the T to prevent another occurance somewhere down the road and escalating the hard play, but I caught myself and said "If that's the call - I'll back you". I was kind of surprised he knew the difference bewtween the two fouls.

Any way, he reports and makes the call to the table and the A1's Coach goes nuts because no T. It took some time to calm him down and explain the why's, but the game went on and Team A won the game by 10. Coach A seemed happy!

This morning I see Team A's Coach at another game. He comes over to me and explains how last night he went to the NFHS web site, looked the rules up and decided we should have called a "Flagrant" and DQ'd the player. We had a 20 minute discusion of the differences between fouls and he walked away with the same conclusion of the flagrant.

My qestions is about the "Intentional Foul". I believe my partners interpretation of the rule is correct. That's why I backed him up. An intentional foul can be personal or technical in this situation. Weighing the situation - that's what we called.

What's your interpretation??

Intentional Personal = Live Ball Contact

Intentional Technical = Dead Ball Contact

Exactly.

Intentional Personal = Contact during Live Ball qualifying as intentional.

Intentional Technical = Conduct in a Dead Ball situation qualifying as intentional

As already stated, this is an intentional personal foul because the contact occurred during a live ball. Since there was no intent to injure, or total disregard for the safety of A1, there is no flagrant.

Why did you and your partner think you could have called a technical in this instance?

Also - do you really think that coach looked up the HS rules on the NF website? That would be a good trick.

The basketball rules aren't posted on the NFHS website.

Unless you fork over the $$$

Right on the money! Thanks for the clarification.

Personal = Live Ball
Technical = Dead Ball

M. Padgett - I loved the Rule 11 comment! When I saw the initial grab by B1 - my thought went to the flagrant T, but when it was over and with such a minor touch foul, I backed off. My lead partner got it right. That's why it's important to discuss when you're unsure.

Team A Coach has been full of @#*! on the court for years. He has now proved the same status "off" the court also.

Nope. The RULES aren't available online. Only the Case Book is.

Well I guess he'll have to wait until July when they put the rulebook on the net