The home team had the ball in their backcourt with less than a minute on the clock and a 5 point lead. The visiting coach was yelling to his players to foul. The visiting player fouled and I called an intentional foul. The foul was not soft nor was it a hard foul. As I went to report the foul the vetern official said, "don't call an intentional." I said, "the coach yelled foul and I am going by the book." The coach did not have a problem with my call.

After the game, the vetern official told me I needed to use better judgement and not call an intentional in this case, and that I would not be a good official unless I understand the game better. This situation did not warrent an intentional. My reply was: I went by the book.

Did I make the right call?

If a coach is instructing his players to foul and that is indeed what they immediately do, you could call an intentional foul. Why coaches dont use some type of code with their players is beyond me. "Red Defense!" Or anything that communicates the same message without putting us in the situation you had. Did the player attempt to steal the ball? Just grab someone? I tell the players to go for the steal; you never know, you might get the ball without being cited for a foul.

I'm not so sure that the book is that clear cut on this issue.

Unless the coach or a player tells YOU that his team is going to foul don't assume an intentional

Watch the players' actions and call things as you would at any other point in the game.

You are 100% right by the book.Your veteran partner is 100% right by experience.If the defender is making a legitimate attempt to get the ball,call it the way it looks.Who knows that the defensive player even heard his coach in the first place,or was ignoring him.

This play was spelled out in last year's rulebook in the POE's as intentional if the coach was instructing his team to foul.

Slider,
I agree, the POE (last year) points quite clearly to the above underlined.
mick

Even if the howler monkey is howling "Foul, foul", I won't call it if the kid makes a legitimate try for the ball and the contact isn't excessive. After all, that's what they're supposed to do on defense, isn't it?

The arguement about assuming whether the kid was listenting to the guy or not is pretty weak, I think. After all, do kids do everything the monkey tells them to do? Of course not - and a good thing, too!

BTW - there is a well-known girls coach around here who uses the code word "bananas" when he wants his girls to foul. He shouts, "Bananas, bananas, bananas, bananas!!!"

One of these days, someone (I wonder who) will answer his call and throw some at him.

Now you know the origin of the term "howler monkey".

Right call, or Best call?
 

Although the foul was obviously intentional, the best call might be the common foul. If this is not covered in a pregame conference with your partner, it might be something you want to discuss during a 4th quarter time-out. In close games you know that the team behind is going to foul to try and stop the clock, so you just want to make sure they are making some attempt to go for the ball, or at least make it look good. After all, if you are holding a cutter through the lane, that is intentional, but it is never called intentional during the course of the game. As officials, we are more than just a rules book, we have to interpret them to fit the situation and make the best call. Hope that helps.

Don't you think he got enough of them the night he got "ejected"?!?

Juulie - it's not him, although he may yell that too. The originator is his biggest league rival, GL at LO.

Ah, I see. Then, I'll throw bananas AT him, not TO him. Howard, you didn't read this.

bugman, if it is not an intentional earlier in the game then its not an intentional late in the game. If they are trying to foul just call it quick.

well done