Offensive Player Initiates Contact on Jump Shot

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Provided that the ball carrier gets to the spot first and legally, why not? Airborne shooters have specific protections in the rules. Show me the section on "airborne blockers."

The player is allowed to come down, regardless of the reason he was airborne.
If the defender jumps in an attempt to block the shot, and has a line which would pass the shooter without contact, then the shooter jumps into this line, thus creating the contact, it is a PC foul.

[tlynch]

Originally Posted by just another ref

The player is allowed to come down, regardless of the reason he was airborne.
If the defender jumps in an attempt to block the shot, and has a line which would pass the shooter without contact, then the shooter jumps into this line, thus creating the contact, it is a PC foul.

Thanks, this is what I was trying to get at.

I think that lately there have been many calls in which the shooter has been getting an unfair advantage (Kobe Bryant) and it is spilling over into rec. league games where shooters shot fake and then jumps under the defender while he is in the air, and are getting the call.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by tlynch

Thanks, this is what I was trying to get at.

I think that lately there have been many calls in which the shooter has been getting an unfair advantage (Kobe Bryant) and it is spilling over into rec. league games where shooters shot fake and then jumps under the defender while he is in the air, and are getting the call.

I assume you're the defender in these cases?

There could be two possibilities - first, is the defender jumping toward the offensive player? Or, are they jumping straight up or obliquely with the shooter? If the answer to the first question is yes, then the defender is more responsible for the contact, even if they jumped first.

The other possibility is you are seeing it in rec leagues, where there are probably less-experienced officials. They could be so focused on the shooter that they do not see where the defender started, or what direction they were jumping, and only see the end result of the contact with the shooter. This type of vision does often improve with experience.

[refguy]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I assume you're the defender in these cases?

There could be two possibilities - first, is the defender jumping toward the offensive player? Or, are they jumping straight up or obliquely with the shooter? If the answer to the first question is yes, then the defender is more responsible for the contact, even if they jumped first.

The other possibility is you are seeing it in rec leagues, where there are probably less-experienced officials. They could be so focused on the shooter that they do not see where the defender started, or what direction they were jumping, and only see the end result of the contact with the shooter. This type of vision does often improve with experience.

And sometimes not, as evidenced by the foul called in the last minute of St. Mary's - SDSU last night. Post player pump faked the defender, the defender remained in his vertical plane, the offensive player initiated the contact, scored and went to the line for 1. It happens especially when you lose focus for an instant. I've had plays where I realized I was not officiating the defense and was not sure who was responsible for contact. I try to say the defenders' #'s in my primary as I am officiating to stay focused on officiating the defense.