Block, charge, no call travel?
 

A1 goes up for a long pass. Defender comes to stop in front of the offensive player. A1 catches the ball in the air and then lands with both feet and then crashes into B1 who falls backward and then A1 lands on top of him. What is the call?

The offensive player lands with both feet. Assuming that means he had adequate space to land, sounds like a PC to me.

Sounds like the same play that happened in the national championship game.

Close visualization of the play you're talking about:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vagq4wiSw18" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And the discussion thread: http://forum.officiating.com/basketb...arge-play.html

Note: Adams initially said this was a block...then retracted that statement and said it was a charge

Almost the exact same play. Varsity Partner said it was a block or a travel.

How much space there is to land is of no consequence under the rules. If the player with the ball gets a foot on the court prior to any contact occurring, then the defender cannot be penalized for anything he did while the offensive player was airborne. That part of the action is now meaningless to the ensuing collision.

Thank you lads.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. By the way, I think that is Joe DeRosa in the picture at the start of the video.

B1 takes a spot on the court which would have been the landing spot for airborne A1. A1 lands with feet spread wide straddling the feet of B1, at the same time leaning backward in at attempt to avoid the contact but is unable to do so. This is a foul on B1.

The difference is, A1 was already airborne before B1 took his/her spot.

According to Nevada, once A1's feet touch the floor, it doesn't matter if B1 got into the spot before A1 went airborne.

And Nevada is correct. A player who gains control of the ball while airborne must expect to be guarding immediately upon returning top the court. That has been the NFHS and NCAA Rules committees' position when the NBCUSC adopted the guarding rule over 60 years ago which is still the rule today.

MTD, Sr.

The point of contention is this. Nevada is saying it is impossible for the foul to be on the defense so long as the offensive player manages to touch the court with even one foot before contact. I disagree.

A agree with Nevada. The rule doesn't say where and how the foot/feet need to land, just that they do so. That straddling example above is still a charge. A1's landing spot is where they land, even if it is awkward. Once A1 is on the floor and there has been no contact, stationary B1's position is, by rule, legal.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the scenario/play or maybe I didn't explain myself well. If B1 obtained his position after A1 is airborne, and airborne A1 crashes into B1, we have a block. If A1 lands first, then crashes into B1, we have a PC foul (possibly).

4-23
ART. 4

Guarding an opponent with the ball or a stationary opponent *without the ball:

a. No time or distance is required to obtain an initial legal position.

b. If the opponent with the ball is airborne, the guard must have obtained legal position before the opponent left the floor.

ART. 5

Guarding a moving opponent without the ball:

a. Time and distance are factors required to obtain an initial legal position.

b. The guard must give the opponent the time and/or distance to avoid contact.

c. The distance need not be more than two strides.

d. If the opponent is airborne, the guard must have obtained legal position before the opponent left the floor.

This is all in response to Nevadaref's statement that since A1 landed prior to contact, it doesn't matter when B1 gained position with regard to A1 going airborne.