The Anti-Packer

[Coach Bill]

Could someone explain what Legal Guarding Position is, and, how it relates to taking a charge?

Consider this scenario:

A defensive player is stationary hoping to take a charge, but the offensive player is athletic enough to slide to one side to avoid him. As the offensive player avoids him, the defensive player slides and is moving when contact is made.

Isn't that a blocking foul?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Coach Bill

Could someone explain what Legal Guarding Position is, and, how it relates to taking a charge?

Consider this scenario:

A defensive player is stationary hoping to take a charge, but the offensive player is athletic enough to slide to one side to avoid him. As the offensive player avoids him, the defensive player slides and is moving when contact is made.

Isn't that a blocking foul?

1. Is the offensive player airborne? blocking foul.
2. Is the defender sliding towards the non-airborne offensive player? If not, PC.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

1. Is the offensive player airborne? blocking foul.
2. Is the defender sliding towards the non-airborne offensive player? If not, PC.

3. The defender gets to the spot before the offensive player. PC. If not, block.

[BillyMac]

A defensive player does not have to remain stationary to take a charge. A defender may turn away or duck to absorb contact, provided he or she has already established legal guarding position, which is both feet on the playing court and facing the opponent. The defender can always move backwards or sideways to maintain a legal guarding position and may even have one or both feet off the playing court when contact occurs. That player may legally rise vertically. If the defender is moving forward, then the contact is caused by the defender, which is a blocking foul.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Coach Bill

Could someone explain what Legal Guarding Position is, and, how it relates to taking a charge?

Consider this scenario:

A defensive player is stationary hoping to take a charge, but the offensive player is athletic enough to slide to one side to avoid him. As the offensive player avoids him, the defensive player slides and is moving when contact is made.

Isn't that a blocking foul?

Only if the offensive player has gotten his head and shoulders past the torso of the defender or if he has gone airborne. Otherwise the defender is allowed to be moving sideways or backwards at the time of the contact. The rules do not require the defender to be stationary.

Here are the rules for guarding:
Rule 4
SECTION 23 GUARDING
ART. 1 . . . Guarding is the act of legally placing the body in the path of an
offensive opponent. There is no minimum distance required between the guard
and opponent, but the maximum is 6 feet when closely guarded. Every player is
entitled to a spot on the playing court provided such player gets there first
without illegally contacting an opponent. A player who extends an arm, shoulder,
hip or leg into the path of an opponent is not considered to have a legal position
if contact occurs.
ART. 2 . . . To obtain an initial legal guarding position:
a. The guard must have both feet touching the playing court.
b. The front of the guard’s torso must be facing the opponent.
ART. 3 . . . After the initial legal guarding position is obtained:
a. The guard may have one or both feet on the playing court or be airborne,
provided he/she has inbound status.
b. The guard is not required to continue facing the opponent.
c. The guard may move laterally or obliquely to maintain position, provided it
is not toward the opponent when contact occurs.
d. The guard may raise hands or jump within his/her own vertical plane.
e. The guard may turn or duck to absorb the shock of imminent contact.
ART. 4 . . . Guarding an opponent with the ball or a stationary opponent without
the ball:
a. No time or distance is required to obtain an initial legal position.
b. If the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard must have obtained legal
position before the opponent left the floor.
ART. 5 . . . Guarding a moving opponent without the ball:
a. Time and distance are factors required to obtain an initial legal position.
b. The guard must give the opponent the time and/or distance to avoid
contact.
c. The distance need not be more than two strides.
d. If the opponent is airborne, the guard must have obtained legal position
before the opponent left the floor.