Over on mbr.org. there is quite a discussion going on to what is or isn’t an intentional foul as there has been more than usual called so far in the high school season.
An intentional foul is one that is done when a player does not try to play the ball. Grabbing or holding a player to stop his/her movement with or without the ball, grabbing a players shirt, etc. It is the same during anytime it happens during a game whether it is in the first half or in the last minutes of a game when a team that is behind is trying to stop the clock.
Was the player being fouled put at a disadvantage in making an offensive move because of the foul?
Penalty for an intentional foul is two shots and the play. Ball is put in play at the spot of the intentional foul.
On page 31 of the 2012-13 IAABO Rule Book Rule 4 Section 19 Art 3 describes an intentional foul as follows: …An intentional foul is a personal foul or technical foul that may or may not be premediated and is not based soley on the secerity of the act. Intentional fouls include but are not limited to:
a. Contact that neutralizes an opponents advantageous position
b Contact away from the ball with a player clearly not involved with a play
c. Contact that is not a legitamite attempt to play the ball/player specifically designed to stop the clock or keep it from starting
d. Excessive contact with an opponent while playing the ball
e. Contact with a thrower in as in 9-210 penalty 5
Also, under the points of emphasis this season in the IAABO Official Rule Book it states….
3. The committee is concerned about lack of enforcement for intentional fouls during any part of the game, but especially at the end of a game. The intentional foul rule has devolved into misapplication and personal interpretations. An intentional foul is a personal foul or technical foul that neutralizes an opponents obvious advantageous position. Contact away from the ball or not making a legitamate attempt to play the ball, specifically designed to stop or keep the clock from startimng, shall be intentional. Intentional fouls may or may not be premediated and are not based soley on the severity of the act. A foul also shall be ruled intentional if while playing the ball a player causes excessive contact with an opponent.
a. Anytime during the game. Acts that neutralize an opponents obvious advantageous position and must be deemed intentional include:
1. Excessive contact on any player attempting a try
2. Grabbing or shoving a player from behind when an easy basket maybe scored
3. Grabbing and holding a player from behind or away from the ball
These are non-basketball acts and must be considered intentional fouls.
b. Game Awareness: THe probablity of fouling in the game is an accepted coaching strategy and is utilized by many coaches in some form. Officials must have the courage to enforce the intentional foul rule properly.
So, coaches and players should be aware of the empgasus this season of the intentional foul rule. They should practice on how to play the ball and then foul so that the foul is not ruled intentional when teams are try to stop or not start the clock.
This is the coaches responsibility.
This is why it is important for coaches and players to know the rules of the game, not just the intentionalk foul rule.
Also, it wouldn’t hurt if the fans and parents knew the rules also, then they would not get their blood pressure up skyb high when officials make rule decisions and not just the intentional foul rule.
Players and coaches not knowing the rules are like a surgeon not knowing the difference between a forcip or a scaple.
I know many coaches and players do not know specific rules because those rules are the ones they question officials about, myself included as an official, when we make the right call and they think it is the wrong call.
Although there were sometimes when I was coaching and I knew all the rules because I also was an official, sometimes if the officiating was like thoracic surgery, we might have died on the operating table….Hpowever, that is speaking as a coach.