Belmont-UNC: Block/Push/No-call (video)

[BryanV21]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

First, please watch the video again. My eyes may not be great, even with corrected vision, but I'm not seeing any sideways movement by the defender.

Second, you won't find a requirement in the NCAAM/W rule books that a defender has to move in the same direction and at the same speed as the offensive player. Defenders can move any direction other than into the offensive player, i.e., they can't create contact. If the speed/direction requirement you describe existed, defenders would never be able to draw PC fouls.

Is the fact A1 is moving faster than B1 A1's fault? No. As a matter of fact it should be expected because A1 knows where he wants to go. However, if B1 gets to that spot first it's his, no matter how fast B1 moved to get there. You said it yourself: Both the offensive and defensive player have the right to move to that spot on the floor. Whoever gets there first - while following the rules - wins. B1 was retreating and got there first.

I'm a high school official, so perhaps the rules are different at the collegiate level. But in the NFHS rule book, Rule 4-24 Art. 5 says "The guard must give the opponent the time and/or distance to avoid contact".

The offensive player is trying to run to his left (the guards right). Not by much, but the offensive player is not running directly into the guard. The guard is moving a bit laterally, and while doing so he's not giving the offensive player the time and/or distance to adjust his path in order to avoid contact.

The question is whether the offensive player is moving directly into the defender, rather than trying to go around. Personally, I see slight lateral movement. Of course, the angle of the camera to the play is not that good, so it's nearly impossible to see it clearly. Which is why, as I originally stated, that I'm fine with pretty much any call (PC foul, blocking foul, or no call at all).