Block/Player Control/No Call

[mbyron]

I'm going to say that the rules have a lacuna: they don't say how a defender may maintain legal position while the shooter is airborne. Scrapper says this can be done only by staying put; JR et al. say that this can be done also by retreating.

Let's request a new rule.

[just another ref]

Bottom line: If the defender is on the floor in the path of the offensive player when the player becomes airborne, and the defender's only movement is directly away from the offensive player, it is impossible for this defender to commit a blocking foul, whether he ever had legal guarding position or not.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Bottom line: If the defender is on the floor in the path of the offensive player when the player becomes airborne, and the defender's only movement is directly away from the offensive player, it is impossible for this defender to commit a blocking foul, whether he ever had legal guarding position or not.

This is true (in NFHS rules), although I'm not sure why it's the bottom line. . .

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

This is true (in NFHS rules), although I'm not sure why it's the bottom line. . .

Because Stone Cold JAR said so!

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Bottom line: If the defender is on the floor in the path of the offensive player when the player becomes airborne, and the defender's only movement is directly away from the offensive player, it is impossible for this defender to commit a blocking foul, whether he ever had legal guarding position or not.

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

This is true (in NFHS rules), although I'm not sure why it's the bottom line. . .

Isn't that what happened in the play below?

A1 dribbles toward the basket. A1 and B1 make slight or no contact. B1 falls backwards of his/her own volition. A1 becomes airborne to attempt a try. On returning to the floor, A1 trips over B1 who is now lying on the floor.

90% of the time, B1 has taken a defensive position (if you can call it that) under A1 after A1 has become airborne. This is not a legal position. If contact ensues that prevents A1 from landing normally, this is going to be a block.

Are you saying that B1 falling kills the deal? If he had stood still and A1 had done the same thing, it would have been PC? If he had stepped backward prior to the crash, it would have been PC?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Bottom line: If the defender is on the floor in the path of the offensive player when the player becomes airborne, and the defender's only movement is directly away from the offensive player, it is impossible for this defender to commit a blocking foul, whether he ever had legal guarding position or not.

I'll put it this way. If the defender is on the floor in the path of the offensive player when the player becomes airborne, and the defender's only movement is directly away from the offensive player and you call a block your supervisor will not be happy.

[Back In The Saddle]

I am unable to locate "landing spot" in my rule book. Yet it figures prominently in the 90% block argument. Certainly we use the phrase "landing spot" often to explain certain fouls to players/coaches. But unless I'm missing something (and it wouldn't be the first time), "landing spot" is not a rules-based consideration.

What is a consideration is "If the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard must have obtained legal position before the opponent left the floor". Clearly the player in Scrappy's scenario obtained legal position before the opponent left the floor. He also obtained LGP, which grants additional rights beyond mere "legal position". One of those rights is the right to move, within prescribed limits, to maintain position. Movement backward, away from the opponent, and in the same path is clearly within those limits.

So if the guard obtained legal position before the shooter left the floor, and he did not move toward the opponent when contact occurs (thus going outside the prescribed limits on movement to maintain)...how is this a block? Did he do something to lose legal position? If so, what? It can't be about "landing spot".