Bumping the Cutter

[PGCougar]

Originally Posted by REFVA

Coach, I'm not sure what level of kids you are talking about, If you have any relationship with the governing association you may want to invite one or some of the officials to a practice and have them see what you are asking. By describing it may not be what you are actually asking. It's like rules left to interpretation. I would rather interpretate by seeing rather to possibly or maybe. I would hate to have you come back during the season and alerts us that you lost the game becuase fo this infraction.

The local association will determine if it is a violation or not. IMO

At the moment, we're talking High School kids in a fall ball open-gym setting right now so NFHS rules would apply. I coach AAU for High School players in the spring and we do have NCAA officials come to our practices (since most AAU stuff is under AAU rules), but never really covered bumping, er, screening the cutter.

Great idea for the next time we get officials to come out.

[rainmaker]

PG -- The problem comes when the defender gets a legal spot, leaving enough time for the cutter to react (which is required by rule), and then the defender gets frustrated because it doesn't appear that she's done any good, so she leans or shifts and thus "bumps the cutter". For the defender to move is not illegal, as long as there is no contact, and it's also legal for the defender to move in the same path and direction as the cutter. If the defender knows her stuff, she might be able to crowd the cutter out of the path, but if the cutter has any experience, she'll let there be contact, and hope for the foul call (assuming the ref is worth HER salt!).

If your question has to do with how to coach the defender, I'd say to tell her to work hard to slow down the cutter, even if she can't stop her. Just disrupting the play for a second or two might be enough to be successful.