Inadvertent

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by pizanno
I had this situation that I still don't know what I should have done:

High school playoff game. Not a tight game, but not a blowout. No problems or trash talking thus far.

2nd half, Team A starts to make a run. A1 dunks in traffic to cut the lead to 2. Excitedly, and completely without malice, A1 turns and (without seeing B1 there) punches the air with emotion, catching B1 in the back of the head (he was also turning down court to continue play).

B1 goes down. A1 embarrassingly tries to help B1, but he stays down. Fortunately, B1 not injured...more shocked. He gets up and stays in the game (after sub).

Should I have called a foul? I did not. Coach wanted a foul, I think more because A1 had four fouls and Team A was making a run. He didn't like my "incidental contact" explaination, but agreed that it was an accident.

What would you have done? Is there a rule citation that covers this weird situation?

I do not want to take the emotion out of the game, but it was Jim Brown who was quoted about dancing around after making a touchdown: "Act like you have been there before."

Having said that, I think that while A1 may have been acting without malice, but I do a slow burn when I see either one of my two sons (ages: 9 and 12) do that kind of nonsense during one of their games, because while they are pumping their fist or chesting their teammate, the opponents are ripping down court with the ball on a fast break.

So, what is my take. I think that you have a dead ball contact technical foul on A1. While his pumping his fist was a show of emotion to pump up his teammates, it can also be construed by his opponents as taunting. The logical question to be asked is if you do nothing and B1 or one of his teammates had decided to give A1 a knuckle sandwich, what are you going to do about A1's original act.

It is a tough call, but that is why we are being paid the big dollars to make these tough decisions.