Hand checking

[NCAAREF]

We are teaching and emphasizing that the defender is allowed one "hot stove" touch on the ball handler. After that it is a hand check foul. Although a hand check may not necessarily create an advantage, it is a point of emphasize again this year in an effort to eliminate it.

[Adam]

This is a move that sometimes creates an advantage that is hard to determine.

[Mark Padgett]

Try to think of the same philosophy that pertains to "Yield" signs on a public street. You didn't properly yield if you caused the other vehicle to alter it's speed and/or direction. If a hand check causes the ball handler to alter his or her speed and/or direction, it's a foul.

Of course, this is just a rule of thumb. (imagine cute thumb icon here)

[IREFU2]

I see there are mixed feelings/options here about this topic. I like the NC2A-W POE this year on this:

Defense permitted one "hot-stove" touch. No arm-bars, no continual/continuous contact. No holding, reroutes or impedes with the body. Also, they speak about allowing "freedom of movement" as well.

I try to do as much preventive officiating before calling a hand-check. This is JMHO!!!!

[chartrusepengui]

I can see the 2001-2002 POE that was posted earlier - but - in the 2008-2009 POE this year the wording is different. I believe that there is additional guidance.

"Defenders are not permitted to have hands on the dribbler or offensive players away from the ball ............... Regardless of where it happens on the floor, when a player:
1. Continously places a hnad on the opposing player - it is a foul.
2. Places both hands on a player - it is a foul.
3. Continuously jabs a hand of forearm on an opponent - it is a foul."

This does not necessarily say that one "hot touch" to feel an opponent is a foul - as it is not continuous contact or continuous jabbing. JMO

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

I can see the 2001-2002 POE that was posted earlier - but - in the 2008-2009 POE this year the wording is different. I believe that there is additional guidance.

"Defenders are not permitted to have hands on the dribbler or offensive players away from the ball ............... Regardless of where it happens on the floor, when a player:
1. Continously places a hnad on the opposing player - it is a foul.

...

A defender in the post area and the offensive player is just standing there and the play is nowhere near? I will not be putting air in my whistle.

[mick]

Originally Posted by chartrusepengui

I can see the 2001-2002 POE that was posted earlier - but - in the 2008-2009 POE this year the wording is different. I believe that there is additional guidance.

"Defenders are not permitted to have hands on the dribbler or offensive players away from the ball ............... Regardless of where it happens on the floor, when a player:
1. Continously places a hnad on the opposing player - it is a foul.
2. Places both hands on a player - it is a foul.
3. Continuously jabs a hand of forearm on an opponent - it is a foul."

This does not necessarily say that one "hot touch" to feel an opponent is a foul - as it is not continuous contact or continuous jabbing. JMO

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

A defender in the post area and the offensive player is just standing there and the play is nowhere near? I will not be putting air in my whistle.

BadNewsRef,
In your scenario, I will be talkin' ["54. Keep your hands off that guy."], because I don't wanna be watching them all night and waiting for the "That's enough!" retaliatory hand slap.

[Back In The Saddle]

It will be interesting to see how much actual change this POE affects. Allowing too much hands-on defense is, I think, a chronic problem in the game. But it's also become "part of the game" and it's often difficult to justify calling "minor" hand check fouls when the rest of the game is often more physical and more significant contact is routinely let pass because no advantage was gained.

I also agree that it's often very difficult to determine how much of an effect that hand on the offensive player is having. If it's allowed to remain on the dribbler, how can you tell with certainty when he's being redirected? Sure, sometimes it's obvious; quite often it's not.

That said, one of my mentors gave me this very pragmatic bit of advice: Call the handchecks on the dribbler early. You want to free up the point guard especially to run the offense. That will make you game go better.

Having tried it both ways, I have to say that freeing up the point guard does make the game better. Usually.