Technicals, Intentionals, and Flagrants, Oh My!

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A foul is an infraction of the rules of basketball as it pertains to illegal contact with an opponent.

There are few classifications of fouls:

1. A personal foul
2. A technical foul
3. An intentional foul
4. A flagrant foul

There are two types of technical fouls:

1. Administrative
2. Unsportsmanlike

Personal fouls will be addressed in a later post.  Here, we will talk about the Technical, Intentional, and Flagrant classifications of fouls.  While there are a myriad of situations that will result in one of these fouls, this post will only cover some of the most common that will be encountered week in and week out.

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Technical Fouls

Administrative Technical Fouls

Administrative technical fouls are given because of an infraction of the rules of the game.  This governs areas such as calling timeouts when the team does not have any remaining, having too many players on the court, and having incorrect information in the score book.

Administrative technical fouls are charged indirectly to the head coach, which will result in a loss of the coaching box privilege.

Administrative technical fouls include:

• Dunking before the game or during halftime
• Having incorrect names and numbers in the score book
• Not listing an active player in the score book
• Calling timeouts when none are available
• Having too many players on the court
• Entering the court (substitute) without permission
• Leaving the coach's box (coach)
• Delay of game by reaching across the line during an inbounds

Unsportsmanlike Technical Fouls

Unsportsmanlike technical fouls are assessed to a player or coach for unsporting behavior.  Such behavior can be against an opponent or an official.  

Unsportsmanlike technical fouls are charged directly against the player/coach.  If it's against the coach, this will result in a loss of the coaching box privilege.

Unsportsmanlike technical fouls include:

• Taunting
• Cursing
• Showing up an official
• Dead ball contact (that is not against an airborne shooter)

Enforcement

Two shots and the ball.  Coach may choose one or two players to shoot the 2 free throws.  All remaining players must be behind the half-court line.  The offense will then receive the ball to inbound at the half-court line opposite the scorer's table.

Two unsportsmanlike technical fouls against a player will result in the automatic ejection of the offending player.  A direct unsportsmanlike technical foul also counts against a player's personal foul count and the team foul count.

For example: A technical foul is called against Player A.  Player A already has 4 hours; the technical foul counts as this player's fifth foul and this player has now fouled out of the game.

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Intentional Fouls

An intentional foul is a foul that neutralizes and opponent's obvious advantage.  It also includes hard contact that is outside of the realm of a personal foul.  Despite contrary belief, "not playing the ball" does not automatically result in an intentional foul.

Examples for intentional fouls include:

• Pushing a shooter in the back on a fast break
• Excessive contact against an opponent
• Following through on a hit
• After securing a rebound, swinging the elbows and making contact with an opponent
• A hard hit above a player's shoulders (i.e. head)
• Touching the inbounding player during an inbounds play

Enforcement

Two shots and the ball.  The player that the foul was committed against must shoot both free throws.  All remaining players must be behind the half-court line.  The offense will then receive the ball to inbound at the closest point to where the intentional foul occurred.

An intentional foul counts against a player's personal foul count and the team foul count.  A player may commit any combination of 5 personal and intentional fouls before fouling out of the game.

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Flagrant Fouls

A flagrant foul is by definition violent or savage in nature.  Meaning that there is intent to hurt the opponent.  This includes fighting.

Examples for flagrant fouls include:

• Fighting
• Excessive contact against an opponent
• i.e. swinging the elbows and making contact with an opponent's head
• Excessive push in the back against an opponent on a breakaway

Enforcement

Two shots and the ball.  The player that the foul was committed against must shoot both free throws.  All remaining players must be behind the half-court line.  The offense will then receive the ball to inbound at the closest point to where the intentional foul occurred.

A flagrant foul results in the automatic ejection of the offending player.

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Using Discernment

Remember the goals of the recreational house leagues: to develop player skills in a competitive and controlled environment.  These players are trying to develop their skills and get better.  The coaches here are unpaid and volunteering their time.  This means that as officials, we need to use discernment and wise judgement in issuing technical and flagrant fouls.

It should not be a goal to compete to see how many technical fouls you can call in a season.

The recreational leagues have stringent rules regarding players and coaches who commit a technical or flagrant foul which includes probation, automatic game suspensions, and all the way up to expulsion from the league.

As officials, we need to save technical fouls for those players and coaches who truly deserve it.  We need to be absolutely sure about the intent to hurt and the excessive contact before we call the flagrant foul.  A good rule of thumb is that when you call a technical foul or flagrant foul, there should be no question in your mind regarding the nature of the foul and it should be painfully obvious to everyone in the gym what the technical/flagrant was for.

As it relates to technical fouls, it is a good opportunity for us to practice preventative officiating and wise discernment.  Some examples of this include:

• Warning players to not reach across the line to avoid calling the technical foul
• Warning players who use foul language under their breath
• Counting players on the court before you inbound the ball to avoid too many players on the court
• Knowing how many timeouts each team has and reminding coaches of the number of their remaining timeouts
• Warning players who slam the ball out of frustration
• Recommend to a coach to take a player out of the game to cool off
• Recommend to a coach to sit down to cool off

However, if players and coaches continue down their path and a technical foul is warranted, then by all means issue the technical foul.

One last word, remember that we need to raise above the fray and stay cool-headed (as hard as it is) as it pertains to dealing with players and coaches.

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Examples

• Player A misses a wide open layup and curses under his breath.  The official hears this, what should the official do?
• "Hey, watch your language." or "Hey, cut that out."

• Player A commits an offensive foul and slams the ball out of frustration.
• If this is the first occurrence, the officials should give the player a warning.

• Player A is on a breakaway and Player B pushes Player A.
• This contact neutralizes Player A's advantage.  An intentional foul should be called.

• Coach yells at official and screams "You're terrible!"
• Everybody in the gym observed this behavior and a unsportsmanlike technical foul should be issued.

• Two players get tied up and fall to the floor.  The initial foul is called.  Player A pushes Player B off of him.
• If the contact is non-excessive, given the situation, a warning should be given.  If the contact is judged excessive, a unsportsmanlike technical foul should be issued.