Another intentional foul question

[bearclause]

I'm just a fan of NCAA men's BB who's looking for some clarification. This is my first post here, so I don't know if naming teams is appropriate, so I won't.

In a college game last Tuesday, a ref made an intentional foul call with less than two minutes left in the game. The situation was very simple; in order to stop the clock and put someone on the line, player G bearhugs player B (with the ball and the lead) around the chest with no attempt to play the ball. Player G's hands don't meet (about 4 inches apart), and the contact isn't terribly violent, but the closest ref immediately signals for an intentional foul. Player B was in no danger of breaking away - fans of player G's team are livid.

In discussions with fans of both teams, a few folks on both sides call the intentional foul call BS, although some find it appropriate. Arguments against are that they've never (or rarely) seen that call made, that it's a judgement call and that a "ref with any credibility" doesn't call it an intentional foul. I bring up the 2003 NCAA rulebook, Appendix III that includes "wrapping the arms around a player" as one guideline for calling the intentional foul.

Any opinions? According to the ruleebook, it sounds to me like it should be automatic. There was pretty much no dispute over what happened, just whether the action constitutes an intentional foul.