How far will you go to save a game?

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by tomegun
I don't like the L making this call.

I don't like it, either. But especially in transition, when post play hasn't developed yet, the Lead can help out on plays that are coming toward him/her, even if it's not in his/her primary.

Having said that, it doesn't sound like this play actually was coming to the Lead, as the trap stopped the movement to the Lead. But I would rather have the Lead come and grab that call (especially in transition, as I said), than allow a clear foul to cause a turnover.

Unlike Tommy, I don't think the C can trail the play here. In order to trail this play, and have an angle, it sounds like you'd have to be out on the court, on that "volleyball line". That's not how "Trail mentality" was explained to me and even in the NBA (where "trail mentaility" was coined), I don't see a lot of Slot officials in a trail position in transition. Yes, it's better to be a little behind it than a little in front of it; but it's more important to see through the play. And it's possible to do that from the sideline, even if you're "even" with the ball; depending on the position of the players.

The key is angle, obviously. You go wherever you have to go to get the angle. I think Tommy and I would agree to that. My last thought is that no position or angle is going to be perfect. No position on the floor will allow you to see the foul when the ballhandler pivots away from you so that his body is between you and the ball. And that's when the C, or in this case the L, has to help out. And that has to be talked about in pre-game, too.