Foul or No Call

[SMEngmann]

This play occurs in a boys 15 and under tourney. I am the lead official. PLAY A1 has the ball on the wing and drives to the basket (he has an open lane). B1, late on the play, chooses not to challenge the dribbler, meanwhile A2 pushes B1 into the path of A1 while A1 is in the act of shooting. Contact ensues, both players fall to the floor and the shot attempt is affected.

My call on the play was a no-call because I felt that neither team gained any sort of advantage because the actions of A2 directly led to A1 missing the shot. My partner agreed with the no-call as did a veteran official who I spoke to. However, other calls that I could have made were an intentional foul on A2 or even a flagrant foul on A2. I would like some feedback, did I make the proper call?

[zebraman]

This really falls under the "you'd have to see it to call it" category. However.... the way I'm picturing it in my mind, I have a pushing foul on A2.

Z

[pizanno]

Foul on A2. 15 & under, tell him not to do it again.

If you do not call this at lower levels, you are condoning rough play.

bte - Are you in S.F.?

[ChuckElias]

I've got the same mental picture as Z. Looks like a push from here.

chuck

[mick]

Originally posted by SMEngmann
...B1, late on the play, chooses not to challenge the dribbler, meanwhile A2 pushes B1 into the path of A1 while A1 is in the act of shooting. Contact ensues, both players fall to the floor and the shot attempt is affected.

My call on the play was a no-call because I felt that neither team gained any sort of advantage because the actions of A2 directly led to A1 missing the shot.

You saw the push.
B1 is on the floor and will not get the rebound.
The disadvantage to B1 is pretty clear.

[Blackhawk357]

Ditto ~
Pushing foul on A2. It will be very hard to explain the contact on the dribbler in you have nothing. The advantage I see is that if you pass on the first push (A2), you will have to call B1 with the block. You about have to have something with a dribbler displaced and unable to get a shot off.

In this case (foul on A2) team A has lost posession and added a team foul (1&1 sitch unknown), I don't feel either an intentional or flegrant foul is in order here.
JMHO

How did the A Coach react to the no-call?

[SMEngmann]

Thanks everyone for your input on this. I had a feeling that I should have called something, but the matter of degree was what I considered. From observing the play, it looked clear that the intent of A2 was to try to get a blocking call on B1. In the heat of the moment, I felt like an intentional foul would have been justified, but probably severe. Calling the push, in retrospect, makes the most sense because, as one veteran put it to me, the whole crowd saw the block and only I saw the push, by calling the push it would have made it clear to everyone why the block occurred, thus diffusing any potential negative reaction. At the next stoppage, I explained my no-call to coach A who then sat A2 down for the rest of the quarter.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

It is good that you spoke to the coach. You could have also spoken to A2 after calling the foul on him. Maybe explain how he just cost his team 2 points on the uncontested lay-up by A1 and perhaps another 2 points if B1 gets to shoot freethrows.

Not only does this educate the player but it also diffuses a potential player conflict that may be starting/escalating between A2 and B1.

It is really good that you saw the initial push by A2. Job well done.

[Edited by DownTownTonyBrown on Mar 3rd, 2003 at 03:35 PM]

[SMEngmann]

I appreciate the kind words. I did warn A2, but I got help from the coach, which is always a luxury. A rules interpreter who I spoke to about this particular situation made a good point in noting that severity is a much better barometer on whether to call a foul than advantage/disadvantage, which can be overbroad, as it was in this case. Any thoughts?

btw I am in SF