Help with a rule.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Bishopcolle

In your example, the defender initiated the contact with the ball, and by rule that is a technical foul. Also, the way I read it, A1 didn't throw (but held, and that is a big difference) the ball, and he shoved B1 with the ball. I see that as a offensive push. I may be wrong (have been before), but I can't see me showing the big "T" sign and banging that as a technical. An easier (and correct sell, I think) call is the PC Push....Again, I may be wrong, but that is my take....open for instruction, as always....

What's the difference if the ball is the only thing that makes contact with an opponent if the ball is thrown or held? In both cases, isn't the only contact on the play being made by the ball, whether the ball was thrown or held? And we already know as per case book play 10.3.6SitB that a thrown ball making contact with an opponent's face is a technical foul for an unsporting act.

My instruction is to try and find a rule that will allow you to call a personal foul when there is no physical contact by the player committing that personal foul. The definition of a personal foul as per 4-19-1 is that it's illegal contact with an opponent while the ball is live. In the play being discussed, the thrower never contacted his opponent; the ball did. And that holds true whether the ball is held or thrown.