biz,
You are correct. The FT line is 15 feet to the BACKBOARD while the 19'9" is measured to the CENTER OF THE BASKET (since it doesn't make sense to measure the arc from the back board). In reality, most folks would tell you that a jumper from the top of the key is actually a 21 footer -- and a shot from the FT line is a 15 footer.

gotcha...thanks for the distinction...I guess I missed the fine print on that one.

I carry a 2 meter ruler that i lay on the floor at the tip of the farthest forward foot of the defender. If the ruler makes contact with the offensive player i have a count. It just gets tricky constantly laying the ruler down and picking it up and NOT effecting the play at all. But I think after 3 years of doing this I am getting better.

I don't think the intent of this rule is for us to have to get out a tape measure or even remember distances on court markings (which are still helpful, btw). The rule has to have something objective (i.e. distance in feet), but the committee knows that we won't be precise. Thus the intent here is to officiate the "guarded" portion of closely guarded as much as the "closely." Make sure the defender is actually guarding the offensive player. Factors include, but aren't limited to: the offensive player adjusting the dribble, where or how he/she holds the ball, whether they turned their body, etc. Essentially, I'm looking for an offensive player who is challenged or threatened by a defender before I have a CG count. Are they adjusting their play due to a defender being present?

Another reference you can use for distance is the arm length. Generally, an arm is roughly 3 feet and most defenders have at least part of their arm out. Are they more than another full arm's length away? If so, no count. If not, you might have a count.

You are correct in saying it's not required per the closely guarded rule, but when applying the definition of guarding, it is required, otherwise, you could have a defender who's back is facing the dribbler and start a count. By rule, that can't happen because the defender does not have a guarding position as defined by the rule.

4-10 says: A closely guarded situation occurs when a player in control of the ball is in his/her team's frontcourt, is continously guarded by any opponent who is within six feet of the player who is holding or dribbling the ball. The distance shall be measured from the forward foot/feet of the defender to the forward foot/feet of the ball handler. A closely guarded count shall be terminated when the offensive player in control of the ball gets his/her head and shoulder past the defensive player.


4-23-1 says: 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.

4-23-2-b says: The front of the guard's torso must be facing the opponent.

Before you read me the riot act that I'm reading too much into it, I had a D3/NAIA/JUCO official read me the riot act for not applying the above 3 citations correctly in a closely guarded situation in a HS JV game he was watching me work a few years ago. To top it off, said official is also an attorney, so I didn't question his cross-referencing, etc.

Yes, Snaqwells, you are correct the rule does not require LGP, but the applications of the definitions does. Sorry if I sounded like a snot or something, but just wanted to point out why I used LGP in my posting.