"No Autopsy, No Foul" (Part 2)

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In Part 1 of "No Autopsy, No Foul", we discussed identifying and calling fouls committed against the dribbler.  We introduced the idea of RBSQ - that if any of these four qualities have been violated, then a foul has occurred.

What also needs to be mentioned is the idea that there are certain actions committed by a defender that affects RBSQ, but are more subtle than the average bumps and displacement fouls.  These actions are still fouls and should be enforced often and consistently.  They include actions such as:

• Defender placing two hands on the dribbler.
• Defender placing and holding one hand on the dribbler.
• Defender placing an extended arm bar on the dribbler.
• Defender (in an attempt to steal the ball), hitting/smacking the arm or body of the dribbler.

As officials, if we can consistently get the fouls committed against the dribbler correct, that will go a long way in cleaning up the game and ensuring that it does not get out of hand.  However, calling fouls against the dribbler is just a small part of the game.  What coaches/players/parents will gripe about is when we miss fouls committed against the shooter. 

Since the objective of the game is to put the ball in the basket (and do so more times than the other team), common sense dictates that there will be ample opportunity for the defense to foul the shooter. In this post, we will talk about identifying these fouls committed against the shooter by exploring these concepts:

• Refereeing the Defense
• The Cylinder Principle
• The Verticality Rule
• When Does the "Try" Start?

And tying them together in determining fouls committed against the shooter.

Refereeing the Defense

The idea of refereeing the defense is an aid in determining who we primarily focus on during a situation where a foul is likely to occur.  Ask yourself this question: "Who is more likely to commit a foul?"  The answer is the "defense" so as referees, we should focus on the defender.

Take the following situation: Player A1 sees an opening to the basketball, dribbles into the lane and BAM makes contact with Player B1 sending both players crashing to the floor.  Is it a charge?  Is it a block?  If we don't focus on Player B1 and determine if B1 established legal guarding position, then we do not have all of the information in making the correct call. 

This is why we referee the defense.  Know where the ball is and what the ball handler is doing, but focus on the defender in keeping an eye out on the contact.

Refereeing the defense will help in:

• Determining if the defender established legal guarding position
• Was the defense there first?
• Determining if the defender is violating the Cylinder Principle
• Is the defense playing outside the cylinder?
• Determining if the defender's body/hands/arms creates contact that violates RBSQ
• Is there a hit or hold on the arms or a bump on the body?

So as referees, know where the ball is, but focus on the defender and what the defender is doing.

The Cylinder Principle

The Cylinder Principle and Verticality Rule go hand in hand.  The Cylinder Principle is the idea that a player on the court is entitled to legal position in his "cylinder".

The area of the cylinder is defined by:

• Front: By the palms of the hands
• Rear: By the buttocks
• Sides: By the outer edge of the arms and legs

This is the area that the player is legally entitled to.  An easier way to think about where a player's cylinder is this: while standing, jump.  When we jump naturally, we will land with our feet in a neutral position...about shoulder width apart.  Now lift your hands up.  You have now established your "cylinder".  (See the image below).

(Image Source: www.bbk-ostwestfalen.de)

This means that a player who extends outside the cylinder and causes contact has committed a foul:

• Extending arms outside the cylinder (think: like an airplane)
• Extending the lower body (legs, knees) outside the cylinder
• Leaning with the upper body outside the cylinder

The Verticality Rule

A player has the right to establish position and the legal cylinder anywhere on the court not already occupied by an opponent.  Once a player has established legal position, that player may legally be entitled to jump up and down within his cylinder with his arms extended up.

If the offensive player causes contact and displaces a defender within the defender's cylinder, then an offensive foul has occurred.  Verticality should not be punished: if a defender jumps straight up with arms straight up and there is contact between the shooter and defender, then we have contact that is either an offensive foul or ignored as incidental/marginal.

However, if the defender violates the Verticality Rule by bring his arms down to stop the shooter, then we will always have a defensive foul (for a hold or hit).

This is why Roy Hibbert of the Indiana Pacers is so devastating as a defender.  He has mastered the Cylinder Principle and Verticality Rule perfectly to play solid defense while avoiding foul trouble.

SBNation has a good article on Roy Hibbert and the Verticality Rule here.

When Does the "Try" Start?

How do we determine when the dribbler becomes a shooter?  This is important in determining if we simply have a spot foul or if we are sending a player to the line. 

There are two situations to look at:

• A jump shot
• A layup attempt

For the jump shot, the "try" starts when the dribbler stops the dribble and starts the up motion for the jump shot.  Any contact here results in a shooting foul.

For a layup attempt, the "try" starts when in the official's judgement, the dribbler has started a continuous motion towards the basket.  In this situation, the dribbler has stopped the dribble and using up the 1 1/2 steps for the layup.

The "try" stops when the player releases the ball and lands back on the ground.  Any foul committed against the offensive player after the start of the try and until the player lands back on the floor should be called a shooting foul.

Fouls Committed Against the Shooter

As officials, we need to be extra dedicated to identifying and calling fouls committed against the shooter.  The reason is simple: a bump on the dribbler may be disadvantageous for the dribbler, but the dribbler has an opportunity to continue the dribble; a bump on an airborne shooter who is being pulled down by a gravitational force of 9.8 m/s^2 could be absolutely detrimental in the shot attempt.

We also need to keep in mind that the shooter must be allowed to land.  Defenders must establish their legal guarding position prior to the shooter leaving the floor and are not allowed to "undercut" the shooter.  This could be a dangerous situation, which could result in injuries.

Keep an eye for the following situations, where contact may result in a shooting foul:

• Defender hits the arms of the shooter
• If significant enough, we have either a hit or a hold
• Defender hits the body of the shooter with any part of the body or hands/arms
• Results in a holding foul
• Defender jumps into the shooter creating contact
• Results in a pushing foul
• Defender steps into the path of a dribbler in continuous motion
• Results in a blocking foul
• Defender steps under an airborne shooter creating contact
• Results in a blocking foul

Closing Thoughts

One additional note and an issue that less experienced officials struggle with: on a shot attempt, keep an eye on the shooter until the shooter returns to the floor.  Just because the shooter has released the ball does not mean that the opportunity for the defense to foul is over.  Remember that the shooter is still considered an airborne shooter until he/she returns to the floor.

Some officials tend to follow the shot to see if the ball goes in or not.  While this is good - the reaction of the players/crowd will tell you if the try is good.  We need to protect the airborne shooter until they are back on the ground.

Being able to distinguish between marginal contact and contact that should be called a foul is the difference between an okay official and a good official.  Being able to call it consistently is the difference between an good official and a great official.

We should always take pride in our work and strive to be the best official we can be.  That is why identifying fouls correctly is such an important responsibility for us and something that we should constantly work to get better at.

"No Autopsy, No Foul"? (Part 1)

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When talking about pickup basketball games during his childhood, former basketball player Stewart Granger once said "No autopsy, no foul".  You may have heard of a similar "no blood, no foul" rule when it comes to pickup ball at the gym or park.  While this saying may be true for pickup games, the same rule cannot be applied to organized basketball games where referees are present and expected to keep the game under control.










When 10 players are placed in a confining space with the same objective (get the ball and score), physical contact is unavoidable.  It is the referee's responsibility to determine if the contact is marginal or if the contact is aggressive and illegal.  How do we call fouls consistently and what's a good rule of thumb in enforcing the rules as it pertains to physical contact?

This is Part 1 of a 2-part post regarding calling fouls and will address non-shooting fouls.  Part 2 of the post will address fouls committed against the shooter.

Let's start with defining a foul:  A common foul is an infraction of the rules as it pertains to illegal physical contact against an opponent (remember that basketball is a contact sport).  We can simplify this further: a foul occurs when one player gains an illegal advantage over an opposing player as a result of physical contact. 

How do we know if the defender has gained an illegal advantage?  It would seem that this interpretation could be very subjective between officials.  Contact may be seen as marginal by one official and deemed disadvantageous by another official.

There is a principle that effective referees will use when determining if contact against the dribbler/ball-handler is marginal (and allowable) or if the contact is illegal and should be called a foul: The RSBQ Principle.

The RSBQ Principle

RSBQ stands for:

• Rhythm
• Rhythm is defined as "movement or procedure with uniform pattern or occurrence".
• The ball handler may establish a dribbling rhythm or rhythm of movement:
• Dribbling rhythm: How a player will normally dribble.  If contact (i.e. a hit or push) causes the player to change this rhythm, then a foul has occurred.
• Rhythm of movement: Where a player is moving on the court.  If the ball-handler wants to go from A to B (rhythm is established) but contact forces the ball-handler to go to C, then a foul has occurred.
• Balance
• Balance is defined as the "equal distribution or weight" or "stability".
• If contact causes a player to lose balance and either stop the dribble or fall to the ground, then a foul has occurred.
• Speed
• Is defined as how fast a player moves.
• If the player's speed (i.e. on a fast break) is affected as a result of contact initiated by the defense (i.e. a block, hold, push, etc), then a foul has occurred.
• Quickness
• That quick first step in a cross-over or move to get by the opponent.
• If the player's quickness is affected as a result of contact initiated by the defense (i.e. a hand check, hold, etc), then a foul has occurred.

If any of these four items are impacted by an opposing player, then it should be ruled a foul immediately and consistently unless the offensive player has an immediate opportunity to score. 

Examples and Case Plays

Offensive Player: A1
Defensive Player B1

• Rhythm
  
  • As A1 is dribbling, B1 runs into A1 causing A1 to stumble, stopping A1's dribble.
  • The rhythm of A1 has been affected and B1 has gained an illegal advantage.
  • Foul: Push   
  • As A1 is dribbling and attempting to break left, B1 keeps his hand on A1 prevents A1 from dribbling left.
  • The rhythm of A1's dribble and direction has been affected and B1 has gained an illegal advantage.
  • Foul: Hand Check/Illegal Use of the Hands
• Balance
  
  • As A1 is holding the ball, B1 bumps into A1 causing A1 to fall down/travel
  • A1's balance has been affected and B1 has gained an illegal advantage.
  • Foul: Push
  • As A1 makes his way to the basket, B1 bumps into A1 knocking A1 off from his intended path.
  • A1's balance has been affected.  If this results in A1 being losing his scoring opportunity, then B1 has gained an illegal advantage.
  • Foul: Push/Block
• Speed
  
  • As A1 is dribbling up the court, B1 places and keeps an armbar on A1 forcing A1 to slow down.
  • A1's speed has been affected.
  • Foul: Hand Check/Push
  • As A1 is dribbling up the court full speed, B1 reaches across A1's body in an attempt to steal the ball.  B1 makes contact with A1 and forces A1 to stop.
  • A1's speed has been affected and an advantage has been gained by the defense.
  • Foul: Hold
• Quickness 
• A1 attempts a crossover to get past B1.  B1 reaches out and (1) grabs A1's jersey or (2) places an extended armbar on A1 preventing A1 from changing direction.
• In both cases, B1 has gained an illegal advantage over A1.
• Foul: Hand check/Hold

Closing thoughts

As referees, we are responsible for keeping the game under control through our consistency in calling fouls and violations.  Being consistent in calling fouls will help curb rough play and go a long way in preventing player injuries.  Players for the most part, do not go out looking to hurt another player, but they will defend themselves and/or retaliate if they feel that the referees are not doing enough to protect the players.  Additionally, players will play as rough as the referees will allow them to.  Referees who "let the players play" and refuse to call fouls will have a rougher game on their hands.  With games at the recreation level, this may result in injuries and will result in parents/coaches/players complaining about the officiating after the game.

One additional thing to note is that a foul/illegal contact does not have to be intentional.  Incidental contact may be enough to violate the RBSQ Principle and should be called a foul even if the player "did not mean it".

Calling fouls consistently will go a long way in our development as officials and being recognized as a quality official.

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.