Intentional Foul Call: Shelbyville at Lawrence Co.

[CoachT]

In the game last night there was an intentional foul called, with about 20 seconds to go, which decided the outcome of the game by giving SCHS a four (or five?) point lead and the basketball. The foul, by the book, probably was intentional, as are most fouls late in close games. However, to call it at this point in the game was unfortunate because:

 

LCHS had to foul three times in order to put SCHS into the one-and-one with under a minute to go. On one of the fouls the LCHS player reached in after the ball, as they are taught, no call. She then fouled her harder, no call. She then shoved the girl, I believe on a pass, no call with the crowd screaming for a foul and the clock running. Then the whistle blew on a reach in. The officials rotate.

 

SCHS inbounds and LCHS fouls without making a play on the basketball, the old "you've got to be going for the ball" scenario that did not work on the earlier foul, but the foul that was called was not a hard foul that could have hurt anyone. Intentional foul called in the same area of the floor but a different official. Two shots and possession with :20 to go. SCHS hit both. Game basically over.

 

SCHS most likely would have won anyway but the call made any winning strategy by LCHS futile and decided what was an exciting fourth quarter. (Some of the above may be a little off but you get the idea. If I had known what was going to happen I would have paid closer attention to the details.)

 

I am sure it has been discussed many times as to how to handle "intentional" fouls at the end of games so the players will also know how to handle it. What it seems we have settled on, unofficially, is for the officials to realize the situation and make quick calls at this point in the game, on the trailing team who has to foul. There may not be a better solution than that but that solution did not work last night.

[Sidetrain]

I agree coach. A lot of times at the end of a game one teams fouls to stop the clock. But last night I did not see that one player was in danger. That is why I think that rule is in place. My thing is the timeout that neither coach claimed to have called. After a little discussing with officals why time had stop Shelbyville called a timeout with time at 2.2 sec left on clock after Lawerence Co scored. time stopped. This crew made a few mistakes during this game. But was a good game in the fourth quarter.

[CoachT]

I agree coach. A lot of times at the end of a game one teams fouls to stop the clock. But last night I did not see that one player was in danger. That is why I think that rule is in place. My thing is the timeout that neither coach claimed to have called. After a little discussing with officals why time had stop Shelbyville called a timeout with time at 2.2 sec left on clock after Lawerence Co scored. time stopped. This crew made a few mistakes during this game. But was a good game in the fourth quarter.

 

I thought one of the LCHS players yelled "Time" and then realized there were no more timeouts. Then the officials didn't know who had called it.

 

I agree that I thought the intentional foul rule was interpreted as any action that could result in a player being hurt although that is not how it is written. On the previous foul the girls would stop, wait for the whistle that didn't come, and then go for the foul again. That is where a player can get hurt and tempers get out of hand.

 

The disappointing part last night was that the excitement in the gym was tremendous and then that call just let the air out of everyone. I felt the official decided the game instead of letting the players do it. Of course, if I am Shelbyville I would take that call every time and the official was within the rules. It was just disappointing. I would have preferred that someone won that game at the end.

[CoachT]

The crowd went from this when LCHS tied it 43-43 on a three

 

 

 

to this on that call

[GovMan]

The crowd went from this when LCHS tied it 43-43 on a three

 

 

 

to this on that call

 

 

 

 

Coach,

 

When you say the foul was made without "making a play of the basketball" are you saying that LC fouled someone who was not in possession of the basketball? If so, then it would be hard to argue the intentional call.

[CoachT]

Coach,

 

When you say the foul was made without "making a play of the basketball" are you saying that LC fouled someone who was not in possession of the basketball? If so, then it would be hard to argue the intentional call.

 

No, the player had the ball in her off-hand, away from the defender. Instead of going through her to the ball, which would have been a much harder foul, she reached in and grabbed her by the arm, I think. I was behind the SCHS player so couldn't tell for sure. My reaction when the whistle blew was "Good, he called the foul" because it had taken so long to get the earlier call. I was not expecting the intentional call at all. He was within the rules, though, but I thought it was a poor decision.

[10W40]

Intentional fouls are called as inconsistantly as walking, block-charges, and hand checking. About all you can do is dive in and hope.

 

Question: When would a holding foul not be an intentional foul? Has any player ever accidentally held another? Possibly to keep a player from falling, but I contend that all holding fouls should be intentional, no matter what time is left on the clock. Bet it would stop a lot of holding. Right now every time there is an inbounds play, someone gets their shirt pulled completely out of their shorts. Then they get the ire of the officials for their shirt tail being out.

[persistant]

The intentional foul was intentional. However, I'll agree a foul should have been called before LCHS had to intentional foul. Spann had to bear hug the player to get the call. Was a player in danger? No

 

LCHS coach called and signaled to the ref for a timeout until they realized they did not have anymore. I didnt know they were out of timeouts.

 

Overall the refs did, in my opinion, an outstanding job! (yes i said that) /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />

[CoachT]

LCHS coach called and signaled to the ref for a timeout until they realized they did not have anymore. I didnt know they were out of timeouts.

 

I'm not sure we were out of timeouts but guessed we were from seeing Coach Scott's reaction.

[persistant]

Jen said they were out

[Sidetrain]

The intentional foul was intentional. However, I'll agree a foul should have been called before LCHS had to intentional foul. Spann had to bear hug the player to get the call. Was a player in danger? No

 

LCHS coach called and signaled to the ref for a timeout until they realized they did not have anymore. I didnt know they were out of timeouts.

 

Overall the refs did, in my opinion, an outstanding job! (yes i said that) /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />

 

 

You may be right. But these two times messed up what was a good game. Because people will always say what if this or that.

 

Just like Coach said the players did not decided the game in fans mind

[persistant]

/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> You are Right!