Hoops

Charge Rule - establishing position - how long?

Hmm

Quote - "You have to have legal defensive position adjacent to the offensive player before they arrive at that spot (ie not arriving at same time)."

other than "adjacent" - which I don't quite remember being defined in the rules this is essentially correct -

you do need to have gained a legal defensive position at SOME TIME PRIOR to contact - even if it is not maintained all the way until contact - ( eg jumping completely vertical within your "cylinder" for a block - you will have both feet off the floor - but the O cannot/should not just jump into you to get bailed out)

- but some may think that the above quote COULD mean that if the defensive player is shuffling sideways across the path of the non-elevated ( ie running and dribbling) offensive player, and has only 1 or neither of their two feet on the ground when contact to the centre of the defences chest is made by the offensive player, (with enough force to give the offensive player an illegal advantage) - then it is a block as they are "arriving at the same time" - this is wrong

- when in fact in that situation the D's chest and the O's elbow/shoulder/hip etc did not arrive at the same time - as the contact is into the centre of the D's chest - the chest got there first - IF the defence is moving sideways, vertically up or away.

OF COURSE if the defence is going forward into the offensive player - directly along or diagonally FORWARD across the line the offence is travelling along THEN it is a block as they are "arriving at the same time".

Once the 3 main points are fully understood by a ref-

1. D must FIRST establish legal position where O can reasonably see them prior -

2. D must THEN be there first ( ie not moving forward) with or without legal guarding posture -

3. There must be illegal contact to the centre of the D's chest by any part of the O's body ( or where it would have been if the D did not protect themselves

- its actually a lot easier to see and call than explain

timing to take a charge.

as I understand it - But feel free to flame if you have or had a referee's coaching qualification-

THEORETICALLY the defensive player needs to give the offensive player a "chance" to avoid the contact to the centre of the defensive players chest/body ( NOTE the defence is allowed to turn within their "cylinder" to protect themselves AFTER establishing their position - IF the illegal contact is looking to be dangerous to them)

so

if the offensive player has ALREADY left their feet (* eg tommahawk dunk or passing in the air) and is thus committed to move along a path that is both IN THE AIR - AND IS CURRENTLY clear.

In thAT SITUATION - if the defensive player THEN moves into that path AND contact occurs BEFORE the offensive player lands with BOTH FEET - then that is a block by the defence ( even if the defensive player as been there in a stationary legal position for any period of time - PS OZ Olympic committee should sign up the offensive player for the high and long jumps ASAP)

Establishing position isn't about "how long" you've been there, based on my understanding.

If you were to look at a video of a charge/blocking call frame-by-frame, I think the decision would be as simple as: is or isn't the defensive player in a legal guarding position at that point in time?

Thinking back to when I was in Brisbane for the Brisbane relaunch function two weeks ago, I realised that Chuck Harmison didn't say a single word at the conference and the entire presentation was handled by David Thodley. (I think that's how you spell his name)

He did say to a few people after the function that the NBL needs to run itself like a proper business and made reference to this not being done adequately in the past. (Yes, we all know the answer to that one)

I wonder if he is being groomed as Chuck's replacement (even though he is interim)- either for the new season start or not long after it begins?
I have heard that the parting will be amicable- I'm trying to get clarification from credible sources if this is the case and/ or when.

Has anyone heard anything on the grapevine to this effect?
Thanks guys.