Blocking or Player control

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by Rookie
This may have been covered before, but...

Player A is dribbling, and the defender does not establish position. As the two make contact, Player A lowers is shoulder.

Is this a double foul?

Lets look at this play. A1 is dribbling and you have stated that B1 has not established a position. What do you mean by: establish position.

NFHS R4-S23 Guarding:
R4-S23-A1: Guarding the act of legally placing the body
in the path of an offensive opponent. There is no mini-
mum distance required between the guard and opponent, but
the masimum is six feet when closely guarded. Every pla-
yer is entitled to a spot on the floor provided such pla-
yer gets there first without illegally contacting an oppo-
nent. A player who extends an arm, shoulder, hip or leg
into the path of an opponent is not considered to have a
legal position if contact occurs.

R4-S23-A2: To obtain an initial legal guarding position:
a. The guard must have both feet touching the floor.
b. The front of the guard's torso must be facing the
opponent.

R4-S23-A3: After the initial legal guarding position is
obtained:
a. The guard is not required to have either or both
feet on the floor or continue facing the opponent.
b. The guard may move laterally or obliquely to main-
tain position, provided it is not toward the oppo-
nent when contact occurs.
c. The guard may raise hands or jump with his/her own
vertical plane.
d. The guard may turn or duck to absorb the shock of
imminent contact.

R4-S23-A4: Guarding an opponent with the ball or a sta-
tionary opponent without the ball:
a. No time or distance is required to obtain an initial
legal position.
b. If the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard
must have obtained legal position before the oppo-
nent left the floor.

NFHS R10-S6 Contact:
R10-S6-A1: 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.

My question is: How did A1 and B1 may contact with each other? As previously stated, an official must referee the defense. But we must also apply the rules quoted above when observing guarding against the ball handler.

We all see too many players that dribble with their free arm held out away from their body. NFHS R10-S6-A1 further states that: A player may not use the forearm and hand to prevent an opponent from attacking the ball during a dribble or when throwing for a goal.

Many times a defender moves toward the dribbler to obtain a legal guarding position and to attack the ball and the dribbler holds out his/her forearm and hand and contacts the defender on the body, arm, or hand. Even though defender is moving toward the dribbler and may not have obtained a legal guarding position, the contact by the dribbler just described should be considered a foul by the dribbler.

The lowering of the shoulder by the dribbler is not illegal it could be construed as illegal contact by the dribbler if the defender has met all of the conditions above.

I had a play about four years ago where A1 was dribbling downcourt with B1 running downcourt next to her on leftside. B2 established (NCAA Women's rules) a legal guarding position against A1 in such a manner that required A1 to juke to her left to avoid contact with her. When A1 juked to her left her shoulder made contact with B1's chest and knocked her down. Charging against A1. Why? B1 had established her legal guarding position while running downcourt alongside A1.

We really cannot make a ruling on this play without it being described in further detail. Was B1 moving toward A1?
Was B1 standing off to the side of A1 but was facing A1?