Loose Ball Contact
 

Loose ball on the floor..A1 and B3 are diving for the ball. If A1 clearly gets to the ball first and B3 dives into A1..do we have a foul? Or no foul since 2 players going for loose ball?

Looking for some guidelines on this type of call...Thanks!

Usually a foul when A1 clearly gets to the ball first and B3 dives onto/into A1.

Each player is entitled to their spot on the floor provided they get there first and legally. A1 was there first and legally....B3 was late.

However, if they meet while both are going for the ball and are coming from equally advantageous positions(B3 can't go through A1 in any case), the collision can be severe but there is no foul.

4-27 Incidental Contact
Incidental contact is contact with an opponent which is permitted and which does not constitue a foul

ART. 2... Contact which my result when opponents are in equally favorable positions to perform normal defensive or offensive movements, should not be considered illegal, even though the contact my be severe.

Art. 5... If, however, a player approaches an opponent from behind or from a position from which he/she has no reasonable chance to play the ball without making contact with the opponent, the responsibility is on the player in the unfavorable position.

If they're both in equal favorable position, then you can consider the contact incidental. If A1 gets to the ball clearly as you say, it does not give B3 free license to dive on him because he wasn't in as favorable of a position as A1.

Why do folks have the presumption that a loose ball changes tenets of a foul?

"Because the ball was loose! He/She was just trying to get the ball!"

[/coach speak]

The same reason they think blocking out is a license to push an opponent as far as possible.

In my opinion it would be a foul.