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Calling “FOUL!”
We know it’s easy
to call an offensive charge or defensive foul before a score occurs.
But knowing how to call and administer a foul after the
ball has already gone in the basket is a Big Ref Problem. In the
case that this particular kind of player-control foul, which happens
during the attempt for a score is officiated correctly, the defense will
feel rewarded for good position, and the offense will be less likely to be
over zealous or rough in their style of play, keeping all the athletes safer
and yielding a better overall game atmosphere.
The NFHS
Basketball handbook explains the rule: "If the ball goes
through the basket before or after a player-control foul, the goal
shall not be counted."
If a goal is
made by the shooter, it may be tempting to ignore subsequent
contact by the offense on the defense. However, simply ignoring the
subsequent contact is incorrect. Although the ball becomes
"dead" upon a made attempt, the action on the floor is still going
on. Momentum by the offensive shooter and positioning by the defender
on the shooter is important to continue to monitor both during and
after the shot.
If an
airborn shooter initiates contact on a defender who has established
a legal guarding position before the contact, the shooter is guilty of a
player-control, personal, common foul.
As stated by the
handbook, "Personal fouls have three characteristics. They
involve:
- contact;
- one or more players from each team;
- occur during a live ball, except a dead-ball player
control foul by an airborn shooter."
The philosophy
behind the exception to calling personal fouls only during a live-ball
situation is two-fold:
First, a
player who commits such a foul has put the opposing team at a disadvantage,
and thus the offended team must be compensated in some way; once a
dead-ball, player control foul is observed, the referee's call
must reward the defense for good position (assess a player-control foul)
and punish the offense for illegal charging (disallow the basket).
Secondly, calling
and administering this type of foul will discourage rough or out-of-control
play by the offense, thereby keeping the game under control.
Assessing
fouls during live ball situations should be second nature to a basketball
official, since these are most common. When a less
common, player-control foul occurs, even after a
successful try, make sure to take the proper steps to disallow the
score because of the illegal charge committed by the offensive player.
A referee who understands the exception to Rule 4-19-1 and is able
to enforce the rule will have better control over the conduct of the
players.
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