Hand checking

[BBrules]

Originally Posted by hoopguy

Chalk me up on the side of it is a foul to hand check.

Advantage/Disadvantage does not come into play because it is obviously an advantage to hand check. Anyone who has ever played knows this.

Why would a defender put his/her hands on their opponent if it was not an advantage? Why would the defender take a chance on having a foul called if it was not an advantage? As a player, when I was younger if a defensive player put his hands on me it would start with yelling to get your hands off and if that did not work things would escalate. I have changed with age but it was an advantage in those days and still is.

+1 That was my experience when I played as well even though at that time hand checking was relatively rare.

4-27-3... contact which does not hinder the opponent from participating in normal defensive or offensive movements should be considered incidental.

I think this is the main point being argued , does hand checking 'hinder'. I believe so and I think the NFHS does also since they keep putting it in the POEs. In my short time as a ref, it seems to me that hand checking usually leads to something akin to WWE smackdown on the low post, and escalating fouls on the guards. If we nail 'em, they'll stop.