Continuous Motion
 

I had a situation last night in my game whereas A1 is driving to the board and B1 had his hand in the side of A1. I blew my whistle between the first and second step as he was attempting to lay up the ball. In my opinion and according to the rule:

SECTION 11 CONTINUOUS MOTION

ART. 2 . . . If an opponent fouls after a player has started a try for goal, he/she is permitted to complete the customary arm movement, and if pivoting or stepping when fouled, may complete the usual foot or body movement in any activity while holding the ball. These privileges are granted only when the usual throwing motion has started before the foul occurs and before the ball is in flight.

I believe he was in the act of shooting, therefore I gave him the bucket and one free throw. Comments?

The operative words. It is your judgement call

Judgement call. You were there. I wasn't. I ain't questioning your judgement.

Rob, doesn't sound like you're really asking a question here. You saw the play, you know whether or not it was a shooting foul.

Did your partner or the coach say something to you to make you question your judgement? Personally I think our association does a very poor job of properly awarding fouls in the act of shooting.

The coach was off the chain saying he was not in the act of shooting. My partner and I discussed it and decided that it was not in the act of shooting, but I was just getting some further insight regarding continuous motion. Like I said he was in between the first and second step. I should have just passed on the foul since he made the basket.

So really it has nothing to do with continous motion, more like a foul you felt you could have passed on.

I'll give you a call.

Without being there, it sounds like a foul to me.

I think the real question you're asking is when does the "usual throwing motion" start on a layup? My answer is when you know he's going for a layup. If you know what the player is attempting you have seen the ususal motion associated with it. That's how you recognized it.

As far as passing on the foul, I try not to pass too much on layup fouls. A player making a layup has gotten great position and is pretty vunerable. Make a clear statement that you aren't going to tolerate contact in that situation.

When in doubt......the player IS in the act of shooting....

Was the hand on his side putting the offensive player at a disadvantage? If not wait for the play to finish and then judge if you need to put a whistle on it.

I like your thinking here.

Just last week I called a foul during fast break that most everyone but me, including my partner, thought had to be before the shot. When asked at the half why I deemed it a shooting foul, I told him it was clear to me the dribbler was beginning her layup, and even though the ball was not in flight, I wasn't going to take away her attempt at a basket.

Lots of other contact on shooters occurs before the ball is actually in flight, but this sitch is the one that seems to be called as "on the floor". Think of all the times you see a rebounder in the paint try to get the ball back up to the basket but gets held on the arm before the ball is above her head. That isn't often called a non shooting foul.

I think goodwill is right. Advantage/disadvantage. It doesn't always work out this way but if you can hold your whistle for just a second longer, if the basket goes, no advantage. If the shooter misses, you have a situation where the defensive player may have gained an advantage and caused the shooter to miss the shot. Call the foul and shoot the 2 shots. Either way, this is a judgement call that only you can make because you were the one that actually saw the play as it happened.

I reward a lot of "continous motion shooting fouls".
I look to see... Is the player is 'gathering/holding' the ball? If so, then continuous motion can apply. If the player is still dribbling, then no continous motion.
When I do allow continous motion on the foul, I get a lot of comments like "This isn't the NBA":D

IREFU2, may I make a suggestion? When I first moved up to varsity, a wily old veteran taught me this. You see the foul, you know the player is going to the basket.

HOLD YOUR WHISTLE until it's clear that the player is in the act of shooting.

There's no need to be in a hurry to whistle the foul, especially with a hand on the waist. Don't penalize the shooter before the shotto early and don't an awkward situation for yourself by whistling before it's a shooting foul that Ray Charles could see.

SLOW WHISTLE. The foul will still be there and it will then be clear that the shot is as well.

Why?:confused: <i></i>