Striking with fist

[mick]

Originally Posted by A Pennsylvania Coach

This violation, along with 10 seconds to shoot an FT, are two I've never seen called in my life. Anyway, last night, Men's Wreck League, point guard gets an inbound pass in his backcourt, all by himself, dribbles once, and the second dribble is whack-a-mole style, downward strike with the bottom of his fist, mad about something I guess. He continues his dribble and I call nothing, because it is rec league.

It got me to thinking about this, however. I was trying to decide if I would call it in a HS game. I mean, of course I'd call it at any level if any other player was near the fist-in-motion. But do I get this if the same situation as described above happens in a HS JV or V game?

Rule 9, SECTION 4 TRAVEL, KICK, FIST
A player shall not travel with the ball, as in 4-44, intentionally kick it, as in 4-
29, strike it with the fist or cause it to enter and pass through the basket from
below.

NOTE:

Kicking the ball is a violation only when it is an intentional act; accidentally striking the ball with the foot or leg is not a violation.

PENALTY: The ball is dead when the violation occurs and is awarded to the
opponents for a throw-in from the designated out-of-bounds spot nearest the

violation.

PA Coach,
My knee jerk reaction would be to no-call.
The Case Book shows nothing. The Rules By Topic gives no rationale.

So where do we go? If we try to decipher the spirit and intent, what do we find? We see a safety effect or a sporting effect.


The penalty is only loss of ball and it seems that it may fit in the same category as throwing an elbow. The rationale for the elbow movement is to reduce rough play.

• If a player, bringing the ball up the floor (undefended), throws an elbow at nothing, will we take the ball away?

To me the reason for the fist rule is to reduce the potential for players swatting at balls or playing defense (in the vicinity of an opponent) with fists, which could certainly be intimidating and unsporting. The rules will (certainly) not state that a player may not make a fist, but it makes sense that playing the game with open hands is more applicable to the game of basketball.

I agree with you when you adjudge players in the vicinity, although if the lonely dribbler comes up the floor fist dribbling the ball, that player would have my attention; though I wouldn't be looking for the carry, I may see an illegal dribble.