Can an offensive player move into the path of an airbourn defensive player?
 

This question is pertaining to the NFHS rules book.

One of the rules of the NBA clearly states that "A player is never permitted to move into the path of an opponent after the opponent has jumped into the air." But all I can find in the NFHS Rules Book is that "If the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard must have obtained legal position before the opponent left the floor." This rule only pertains to the defensive player under rule 4-23, Art 4b and Art 5d. So can a ball holder try to draw a shooting foul by moving into the path of an opponent when that opponent does not jump directly towards the ball holder but instead jumps towards the side of the ball holder? In the NBA, this would be an offensive foul.

Just like the NBA, this would be a no call or an offensive foul. It's never legal to move into the path of an airborne player...it makes no difference if it's an offensive or defensive player.

Look under screening.

Ok. So what part of the screening rule would the ball handler break? Failure to stay stationary, failure to stay withing vertical plane or failure to allow opponent time and distance?

You tell me. Describe in detail the play you are picturing. The answer should be obvious.

The play I am picturing is a defender who has jump toward the same direction of but not directly toward the ball handler in an attempt to contest the shot. The ball handler jumps toward and moves into the landing path of the defender and makes contact.

I would say that the ball handler fails to stay stationary and does not allow the defender one to two normal steps or strides. I am correct?

I agree with your analysis...in general.

Yet, if you view it from the point of the defender guarding the offensive player, it could just as well be considered a defensive block. You have to decide which player has the right to be moving into that spot when both are doing so. In the case of a dribbler/shooter, the opponent is usually guarding and not doing so legally.

If such actions were legal, all defenders could anticipate the path of a dribbler and jump across it such that there is a collision and get an offensive foul.

What you have to consider is whether the offensive player deliberately moved into the defender's path solely for the purpose of creating contact. If it is such that the shooter was going that way anyway, it is probably a defensive foul. If they go out of their true intended path to make contact, it is probably not a defensive foul....it may or may not be an offensive foul depending on the amount of contact.

I was picturing the offensive player as stationary, based on the reference in the OP to a "ball holder" as opposed to a ball handler. (dribbler) In such case when the defender jumps in an attempt to contest the shot and would have landed cleanly had the offensive player remained stationary, the call could only go one way.

Agree.

Where in the rules book can I find it? The NBA has that rule written clearly; A player is never permitted to move into the path of an opponent after the opponent has jumped into the air. But the NFSH has it written in a riddle.

And that would be illegal screening?

It doesn't explicitly state it like the NBA rule but like the others have said, use the screening principles. The screener did not give the defensive player the proper time and distance to a moving player.

I understand.

10-6-11: A player shall adhere to the rules pertaining to illegal contact, including but not limited to, guarding as in 4-23, rebounding as in 4-37, screening as in 4-40, and verticality as in 4-45.

LOL! Let me know the next time you make that call. :D

We see plays all the time where the offensive player pump fakes, the defender jumps, the shooter then takes a legal step, jumps into the defender....TWEET! It's a defensive foul every time.