Pushing foul or traveling violation.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by egausch

No, I think I spoke to far off the top of my head. Pushing, however, in this case, even if slight, should be considered. Is it good defense to try and imbalance the other guy, by deliberately pushing the ball toward the player? or Is this unsportmanslike behavior and outside the norms of playing the ball? What are the norms, are there any? Maybe it's simplier to say that a defender can make any play he or she wants at the ball. Pull it, push it, slap it, poke it, grab it, etc. Then it's a travel on A1 if he falls. Or maybe a defender's play at the ball should be limited toward either, directly gaining possesion (like pulling it away), directly causing the other player to loose possesion(batting it away), or causing a held ball(grabbing and holding it). Pushing would not fit here. I don't think the rules directly address this.
Personnally, I feel that pushing the ball like this, enough to cause A1 to fall, is not within the spirit of the game and is unsportsmanlike behavior, but calling a T or push does seem unbalanced or incorrect. That said, I would go with a held ball.
EG

Well said old chap!

[Ridge Wiz]

Jurassic Ref, sorry it took so long to reply. I've been really busy.

NFHS case book, page 27, INTENTIONAL FOUL, 4.19.3 SITUATION B: A1 drives to the basket with B1 in pursuit. As A1 begins the act of shooting, B1 gets a hand on the ball from behind & the subsequent contact takes A1 forcefully to the floor & out of bounds. RULING: An intentional foul shall be charged when the contact is judged to be excessive, even though the opponent is playing the ball. (4-11)

I only mentioned this case as a possible course of action not the only one. Of course excessive force is necessary in this case. This happens to be one of those sitch's that stick out to me the same reason you questioned my response.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by Ridge Wiz
Jurassic Ref, sorry it took so long to reply. I've been really busy.

NFHS case book, page 27, INTENTIONAL FOUL, 4.19.3 SITUATION B: A1 drives to the basket with B1 in pursuit. As A1 begins the act of shooting, B1 gets a hand on the ball from behind & the subsequent contact takes A1 forcefully to the floor & out of bounds. RULING: An intentional foul shall be charged when the contact is judged to be excessive, even though the opponent is playing the ball. (4-11)

I only mentioned this case as a possible course of action not the only one. Of course excessive force is necessary in this case. This happens to be one of those sitch's that stick out to me the same reason you questioned my response.

Ridge Wiz,the key words in the the casebook play you cited above are "subsequent contact".This play refers to a defender putting a hand on the ball,and THEN making further contact somewhere else on the shooter besides the ball to cause the foul.In other words,the foul isn't for putting a hand on the ball.It's for the OTHER contact on the shooter AFTER the hand was on the ball.I think you may have misread this play to think that the foul was called solely for the contact on the ball.Contact on the ball only is not a foul.