Airborne shooter - Held ball

[just another ref]

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

Here's where oft-quoted Casebook play 4.25.2 does give you some guidance,I think.In (a),the shooter is prevented from releasing the ball and you have a held ball as soon as he returns to the floor.[/B]

I couldn't be absolutely certain, but in the play that I saw I don't believe the shooter ever left the floor. It was my first thought, and apparently the guy calling the game agreed, that just because you go up and tie up the ball, this does not give you the right to come crashing down on a stationary opponent. Often you see a player hold the ball overhead and a defender grabs it from behind. The offensive player pulls the ball down, thus pulling the defender down with it. Held ball is called, and the fans scream "Over the back!" But in this case, assuming the shooter is stationary, the defenders own action caused him to come down on the opponent, so I think that you call a foul.