elbows to the face

[Raymond]

Been going back-n-forth with couple Laker fans in email today. One of them is a D2 official.

I didn't see the game last night but I heartell that Kobe's elbow made another landing last night (4 stitches to Barbosa's chin). The Laker fans excused the elbow saying the defender was crowding Kobe therefore responsible for the contact.

My question: Is there some sort of space requirement for legal guarding position? If defender is playing extremely tight defense but still maintaining LGP is there some sort of allowance for an offensive player's natural movement to allow contact with the defender.

There was a play in the NIT final where the defender was elbowed in the face and a couple forum members said "too bad" b/c he shouldn't have had his face there. In the play from the NIT final the defender was standing straight up, he wasn't leaning in face first.

[Back In The Saddle]

It's the same mentality that says you should call every block/charge a block because the defender was "crowding" the offensive player. It's stupid and wrong, but it's the same mentality.

[Jurassic Referee]

Is, was, and always will be a judgement call.

[rockyroad]

Incidental contact...I didn't see the play in question, but in most of these cases where it isn't called it's because the elbow wasn't thrown and it really isn't a PC foul, but neither is it a blocking foul - it's simply incidental contact. Looks ugly because the defender ended up bloody, but that's part of the game sometimes...

[SeanFitzRef]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Incidental contact...I didn't see the play in question, but in most of these cases where it isn't called it's because the elbow wasn't thrown and it really isn't a PC foul, but neither is it a blocking foul - it's simply incidental contact. Looks ugly because the defender ended up bloody, but that's part of the game sometimes...

So, A2 takes a shot, misses, B4 gets the rebound. A4 stays right with B4, who has his back to A4. B4 puts two hands on the ball under his chin, elbows out, and pivots without exerting any extra force beyond what is necessary to make the normal basketball move. A4 catches one in the chin, & goes down. No call?

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by SeanFitzRef

So, A2 takes a shot, misses, B4 gets the rebound. A4 stays right with B4, who has his back to A4. B4 puts two hands on the ball under his chin, elbows out, and pivots without exerting any extra force beyond what is necessary to make the normal basketball move. A4 catches one in the chin, & goes down. No call?

Probably...if, in my judgement, B4 knew the defender was there and did it on purpose, I'll call a PC foul...if not, I got nothing...

[Joel Poli]

See 05-06 NFHS rule 9 sec.13 art. 2

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

Incidental contact...I didn't see the play in question, but in most of these cases where it isn't called it's because the elbow wasn't thrown and it really isn't a PC foul, but neither is it a blocking foul - it's simply incidental contact. Looks ugly because the defender ended up bloody, but that's part of the game sometimes...

In a game I was playing once, I had the ball around the three point line towards the side. I had the ball to one side of my body and swung it high and to the other side as I started to drive. I blew by the defender towards the basket. I did a 360 slam over th e next defender...oops back to reality...I did a layup and looked back to see where the defender went...I expected him to be right with me. He was down on the floor where the play started with a huge gash on his brow...several stitches required Apparently, I got him with my elbow. I didn't even realize I touched him more than just a brush.