Late Game Fouling

[Rich]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Why does your definition of foul change in this situation? If you call a foul for "any amount of contact", aren't you directly contradicting 4-27-1? Aren't you penalizing the offense by allowing the defense to accomplish what they want (stopping the clock), without doing what they need to do, by rule, to stop the clock?

If a team wants to foul, I am going to give it right away, too. Consider it preventive. The first attempt will be polite, the fourth will be the defender putting the opponent through the floor.

I don't see the bear hug as automatically intentional. If a player reaches around like that and gets just the ball, it's a held ball. Who am I to say (I know, I know) that the defender isn't reaching around for the ball?

Mostly, people should call how it's called in their area. It takes a lot to get an intentional at the end of the game in most places I've lived and this is not one place I would want to be known for being different.