Crash…no whistle

[crosscountry55]

Originally Posted by Chris Whitten

I need some help. Had this happen a couple of weeks ago and again tonight: I am at T in a 3 whistle game when the dribbler goes right down the middle of the lane and crashes into the defender about 6-8 ft from the goal. Due to player traffic I can't see if the defender has established LGP. A call from me would be nearly a guess. No whistle from C or L, either of which should have had a better view of defender position than I had. Of course, coaches hit the roof. I don't blame them. There was enough contact to have had a block or a charge.

I think we would all prefer for C or L to make this call. However, do you as T come with a delayed whistle because "someone needs to have a whistle on a crash in the paint?" Is there any way I can sharpen up to this play to help my partners who may "freeze" and make no call?

I had a carbon copy of that play last year. C & L have nothing. I'm not sure, but in my head I'm thinking, "this is one of those 'elephants' that needs a whistle to save the crew." The cue to my decision was the relative movement of the defender. He was in the center of a 3-2 zone and had been in the paint the whole time, and the drive was quick enough where the defense hadn't reacted much yet. So my educated guess was charge. I went with it. And oh golly gee did I sell it, even though it was noticeably late. No argument from either coach.

If it hadn't been such an elephant, I've got nothing.

C thanked me at halftime. Said he had a great look for a secondary whistle, but got surprised and froze. Happens to all of us.