The Assist

[CPGB06]

I believe that the people scoring the game do a pretty good job and certainly it is tough to keep up with everything that is going on. You have to have a spotter to really keep stats correctly.

 

I was at a game the other night and was keeping stats on several players. I had a spotter with me. When the stats were published the following day, one player was awarded 5 assists when I had her scored with none. I see this frequently and I believe that there is a misunderstanding of what an assist is.

 

I called the Lady Vols and spoke to a nice lady who is in charge of stats for the LV's. She stated what I have always understood is an assist:

 

An assist is scored to a player who passes the ball to a teammate who takes and makes the shot, prior to the ball touching the floor. She may pivot or take the allowed two steps before shooting, but that is all. If the shooter is fouled in the processes of shooting and misses the shot, the passer is not scored with an assist, even though the shooter makes the two free-throws.

 

The problem with incorrect scoring of an assist is that this is a key stat for college recruiters. You can look at the number of points scored and understand the ability of a player, but the assist gives a recruiter insight to the players court vision and the ability to set up her teammates to be in a scoring position. If the stat is incorrect, it may redirect a recruiter’s attention from someone who is actually assisting from someone who actually is not.

 

Just wanted to get that off my chest. I feel better now.

 

[PageMan]

Thanks for your explanation CPGB06. Although I am not an official scorer, I do try to keep up with assists on my scoresheets. I score an assist for a pass that leads to an immediate score. I have also been scoring an assist if a player gets fouled and makes the foul shots since I feel that the player would have scored if they had not been fouled. Previously I had not given an assist on this play, but a coach told me to score an assist. I guess the coach & myself were wrong. Is there anywhere one can find a written rule defining an assist?

[trojanbob]

Two steps???????????

[bkelly]

The NCAA has a broad defintion of the assist. It does not matter how many dribbles the scorer takes, and it does not even have to be the last pass to the scorer. It all depends on the intent of the originator of the play. They get very technical in their statisticians manual .

 

http://ncaa.com/library/statistical/basket...llStatsMan.pdfl

[trojanbob]

Also a breakaway situation such as a long outlet pass beyond any defense!

[iamoz]

You've been given the simple rule interpretation. Here is the actual rule.

 

NCAA Statisticians Manual -- Page 30

 

A player is credited with an assist when the player makes, in the judgment of the statistician, the principal pass contributing directly to a field goal (or an awarded score of two or three points). Only one assist is to be credited on any field goal and only when the pass was a major part of the play. Such a pass should be either a pass that finds a player free after he or she has maneuvered without the ball for a positional advantage, or a pass that gives the receiving player a positional advantage he or she otherwise would not have had.

 

Philosophy. An assist should be more than a routine pass that just happens to be followed by a field goal. It should be a conscious effort to find the open player or to help a player work free. There should not be a limit on the number of dribbles by the receiver. It is not even necessary that the assist be given on the last pass. There is no restraint on the distance or type of shot made, for these are not the crucial factors in determining whether an assist should be credited.

 

Note: While a fair amount of latitude exists in deciding whether to award an assist, an attempt has been made to achieve some level of consistency. It is impossible to specify how many assists should be given during a game. However, from game analysis, about 50-60 percent of a team’s field goals involve the crediting of an assist. This is only an average figure; individual games and individual teams may vary considerably and may not fall within this range. The style of play of the teams involved will have a bearing on the number of assists credited. If a play-by-play is available, check it to determine what types of shots were made. Chances are, these factors will help you decide whether you are correctly awarding assists.

 

It is strongly recommended that the same member of the crew of statisticians be responsible for keeping assists for both teams and that this person’s duties other than keeping assists not be so great as to hamper the keeping of assists. By having the same person keep assists for both teams, the differences of opinion that exist in borderline cases will not affect the balance between the two teams.

[trojanbob]

Now that is a quality post.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IAMOZ

[coachchannell]

IAMOZ.... You are the MAN!!! By the way... thank you for all of your assistance.

Edited January 7, 2004 by coachchannell

[aj1133]

You stole my thunder IAMOZ. Whoever began this thread was mistaken and I am surprised that anyone on the UT staff would give such a poor explanation of an assist. I believe it is an injustice not to give an unselfish player an assist if they found their teammate with the ball in scoring position. I kept stats at UT for Coach Summitt for several years and beyond the actual rules translation, she credits her players with assists with her own interpretation, and if she feels a player deserves an assist, then she gives it to them whether it is an assist by the book or not. Coaches or recruiters can interpret the rule however they may but if they see a great pass that leads to a score, that does not go unnoticed.

[addictedtosports.com]

That gives me a new insight on the "assist".

[tacosparoleofficer]

A new one.... if a player gets fouled, and it is called, on the shot and misses, do you count it as a shot attempt. I do, because if it goes it counts as a made basket. i know some that do not count this as an attempt.

[HickoryHusker]

Most do not count being fouled in the act of shooting as a field goal attempt! Back to assists, if a player is fouled in the act of shooting and makes one of the two free throws, is an assist awarded?