Intentional Foul Question

[Nate1224hoops]

Team A is up by two points shooting a 1 and 1 with 12 seconds left. Team A misses. Team B pulls the rebound, pushes it to the other end of the floor. Shot goes up, it misses. B pulls the offensive board and misses again. Team A secures the rebound. Team B commits a hard quick foul. Partner is lead and blows whistle. He comes out with arms crossed indicating an intentional foul. Team B's coach blows up. Same partner hits him with T.

I'm not sure what my partner was thinking on this one. All I saw was a missed shot and a quick hold to kill the clock. It looked like great clock management by Team B. My partner said in the locker room after the game that she intentionally grabbed the players arm.

Are you going to make this call? Is it right?

I feel that we as officials must understand time, situation, and score as well as coaches and players. With 6 seconds left in the game and Team B down 2 without the ball, everyone knows they are going to foul to stop the clock. Assuming there are no shoves in the back, punches, elbows, or excessive uses of force, I think you have a foul and thats it. An intentional foul at that stage of the game with that score really seems like a reach to me. Thoughts??

[mbyron]

I have 2 thoughts:

1. Regarding this particular case, I would say it's HTBT. From your description, it doesn't sound like an intentional foul to me, but of course that's your opinion too. If I had your partner's view of the play I might think otherwise.

2. As a general rule, NFHS seems to want intentional fouls called when it's not a basketball play. I suspect that the principle to which your partner might appeal. It's a mistake, however, to apply that principle in a vacuum, independent of game management issues and the local and universal traditions of enforcement. Those factors play a role in how coaches, players, and fans expect the calls to go, which is relevant to game management.

I will add that I'm at a point in my career where I'm trying to eliminate the "stinker" from my season. That's the one call in a game that sets somebody off, not just a borderline or questionable call but one that starts making coaches think more about me than their players. The call in your situation has the potential to be a stinker.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Nate1224hoops

An intentional foul at that stage of the game with that score really seems like a reach to me. Thoughts??

Can't be. There's no such foul as a reach.

OK - seriously, was the player making a play on the ball? If not, it's intentional. According to the rules, game situation is irrelevant. What might be relevant here to give you the permission to ignore the rule as written would be if your association supervisor tells you to do it differently.

Gee - where have we heard that before?

[chartrusepengui]

I had one a couple weeks ago. Close game. Team a scores and is ahead by 2. Team B loses control of ball and in the scramble, B1 places 2 hands on A2's back and shoves him to the ground. I call the no brainer intentional foul. Coach of B going nuts yelling at me that "he was just trying to stop the clock!" I smiled and told him he accomplished that. Long hesitation with his face getting red - then a shuffle backwards and a soft, "ok". It was great!!

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by Nate1224hoops

An intentional foul at that stage of the game with that score really seems like a reach to me. Thoughts??

On the contrary, this is the point in the game when you're most likely to have an intentional foul. It's just that many officials don't have the cajones to call it. An intentional foul is clearly defined. It's pretty easy to call. I don't care if it's not popular.

[just another ref]

Had one last week. Team B down 2 late, pressing. A threw over the top, got a breakaway. Just as A1 laid it up, B1 got there just in time to grab his non-shooting arm. Basket good. 2 shots. Ball at the spot for A.

The strange part: Both coaches said "Good call."

[Adam]

If your partner thought she just grabbed the arm and didn't even bother to play basketball, it was a good call; and exactly what the NFHS (and I'd guess your state as well) wants us to call.

[referee99]

...lets get the FIRST contact when a team wants to foul.

This can help when the [game strategy fouling] comes into play. I have a push BEFORE the hold. When its obvious (shove in the back, bear hug, etc) there is no choice, but when its just awkward, clumsy, trying-to-get-it-right attempt by the player, I like to call a foul on the first contact.