Poke in the eye/Your thoughts

[Jay R]

Two point lead for Team A with 30 seconds left in the game when B4 gets a defensive rebound. B4 is poked in the eye by A4 who made a swipe at the ball. The official sees the contact and stops the clock to give B4 a few seconds to recover. No foul is called. After the stoppage, Team B comes down and takes a last second shot which misses. Team A wins but Team B feels that a foul should have been called putting them at the free throw line.

I've seen this situation handled differently over the years. How many of you would not have called the foul?

[JugglingReferee]

!i

[BktBallRef]

If it's a swipe at the ball, I would probably make the call. I don't see it any different contacting the arm with the same swipe.

If the contact was just incidental based on two players being near each other and contact occurring, it's nothing.

[AKOFL]

I have a foul on B4, for hitting that poor guy in the finger with his eye. How much time did the official give him to recover?
Some times things just happen we don't see until after it happens. It's up to you. I agree with BBR

[co2ice]

I agree AKOFL. B4 needs to quit playing offense with his face!!!!!

[JPNY25]

To me, this sounds more like incidental contact that I probably would have ignored.

But I would also say that it's one of those "had to be there" moments.

Regards,

Jim

[just another ref]

I personally have always thought that this would get called a foul more often except for the fact that it is so difficult to see. There is little if any reason to look at any players face, therefore so often all we see is the offended player grab at his own eye after the fact. It could have been a bug or an eyelash, but usually it is obvious, after the fact, what happened.

4-19-1: .....contact which hinders an opponent from performing.........

One is hindered from doing most things if one cannot see.

[btaylor64]

When a defensive player makes a swipe and connects with any part of the head, face it is a foul. you will rarely catch any pushback by a coach if you call the foul and designate and verbalize what happened. you going to catch whole lot more flack by not calling it and a player going down and you've got nothing.

[canuckrefguy]

Sounds like a foul to me.

But in the heat of the moment, who knows.

[grunewar]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The brother of a Providence basketball player who ran onto the court to confront a referee was ordered held without bail Tuesday for allegedly violating his probation from a 2005 drug conviction.

Jonathan Xavier came down the stands and jumped over the Providence bench during a nationally televised game on Jan. 17 2009 to confront a referee. He was upset no foul was called after his brother, Providence guard Jeff Xavier, was hit in the face by a Marquette defender's arm while he was driving to the basket.
******************************
Now, there's one FAN who thinks it's a foul......especially if it happens to his brother!

I have gone with incidental contact a few times when something like this has happened. Happens so quickly. But, it certainly does create an advantage that's for sure. But, I can certainly "see" both sides.

[bradfordwilkins]

Originally Posted by grunewar

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The brother of a Providence basketball player who ran onto the court to confront a referee was ordered held without bail Tuesday for allegedly violating his probation from a 2005 drug conviction.

Jonathan Xavier came down the stands and jumped over the Providence bench during a nationally televised game on Jan. 17 2009 to confront a referee. He was upset no foul was called after his brother, Providence guard Jeff Xavier, was hit in the face by a Marquette defender's arm while he was driving to the basket.
******************************
Now, there's one FAN who thinks it's a foul......especially if it happens to his brother!

I have gone with incidental contact a few times when something like this has happened. Happens so quickly. But, it certainly does create an advantage that's for sure. But, I can certainly "see" both sides.

The only difference is, since most of us on here saw this play, is the word "swiping at the ball" for the situation referenced in this thread... in the Providence/Marquette situation, the Marquette's defender maintained LGP and his verticality -- a no call imo was the right decision.

[ronald]

It is a foul per OP and the rule reference. Get some cajones!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WIRef]

What happens if the defender takes a swipe at the player with the ball, completely misses him, and then offensive player fakes like he got hit in the eye? Bad judgement if you call it, IMO. I think you have to actually see the contact, like any other foul, and then make the call. Again, this usually happens so fast that we usually miss the initial contact.

[26 Year Gap]

If the guy has a haircut like Moe's, it definitely is a foul. And intentional at that.