Rough Play – Guidelines for teaching and officiating

The following rough play guidelines are excerpts from past NFHS Points of Emphasis and from a document recently distributed by the Iowa High School Athletic Association.  Every illegal contact, which is not called, encourages and leads to rough play!

 

A.  Handchecking:

1.     Any tactic using the hands, arms or body that allows a player, on offense or defense, to “control” (hold, impede, push, divert, slow or prevent) the movement of an opposing player is a foul.

2.     When an offensive player uses his or her hands or body to push-off for position, for spacing, for getting open to receive a pass or to move the ball via pass or dribble, it is a foul.

3.     “Hooking” by the offensive players should be presumed a definite advantage.  This is not a judgment call or tactic worthy of a warning.  It is a foul and should be called without hesitation.

4.     Any act of tactic of illegal use of hands, arms or body (offense or defense) that intentionally slows, prevents, impedes the progress of displaces an opposing player due to the contact, is a foul and must be called.

5.     Regardless of where it takes place on the floor, when a player continuously places a hand on the opposing player, it is a foul.

6.     When a player places both hands on an opposing player, it is a foul.

7.     When a player jabs a hand or forearm on an opponent, it is a foul.

 

B.  Screening:

          1. A legal screener must be stationary prior to contact with hands and arms close to the body.  When these two requirements are not met, and when there is sufficient contact delivered by the screener to bump, slow or displace, it is a foul on the screener.

          2.  When a screen is blind, or a rear screen, it is only legal when the screened player is allowed a normal step backward.  The screened player must make a legitimate attempt to get around a legal screen without forcing rough or “displacing” contact.  This type of contact must result in a foul on the screened player.

          3. When a screen is set in view of an opposing player, the screener can get as close as he or she wishes in a legal stationary position.  The burden is on the screened player to avoid contact that may result in a foul.

 

C.  Post Play:

          1. The offense can “shape up” to receive a pass or to force the defense to deploy or assume a legal guarding position at the side, in front or behind the offensive post player.  When the offensive player then uses the “swim stroke,” pushes, pins, elbows, forearms, holds, clears with the body, or just generally demonstrated rough physical movements or tactics, this is a foul on the offensive player and must be called without warning.

2. The defense can assume a legal, vertical stance or position on the side, front or behind the offensive post player.  When the defense undercuts (initiates lower-body non-vertical contact), slaps, pushes, holds, elbows, forearms or just generally demonstrates rough, physical movements or tactics, this is a foul on the defense and must be called without warning.

3. When a player pushes a leg or knee into the rear of an opponent, it is a foul.

4. When a player dislodges and opponent from an established position by pushing or “backing in,” it is a foul.

5. When a player uses hands, forearms or elbows to prevent an opponent from maintaining a legal position, it is a foul.

 

D.  Rebounding:  A player has a right to any spot on the floor he or she may get to legally.  To obtain or maintain a legal rebounding position a player may not:

1. Displace, charge or push an opponent.

2. Extend shoulders hips or knees, or extend the arms or elbows fully or partially in a position other than vertical, so that the opponent’s freedom of movement is hindered when contact with the arms or elbows occurs.

3. Bend his or her body in an abnormal position to hold or displace an opponent.

4. Violate the principle of verticality.

5. Better his or her position by other than legal means.

 

E. Block/Charge: A real concern is when player get knocked to the floor and no call is made. 

1. Two factors used to determine the responsibility of contact are:

     a. Who was at the spot first?

     b. Was the guard facing the player with the ball with two feet on the playing court?

2. The guard may then move his/her feet and stay within the dribbler’s path.  The guard should be rewarded for good defense.

3. Contact in front, upper torso, initiated by the offensive player should be “charge.”

4. Contact initiated by the defense (on or off the ball) that involves lower body, non-vertical contact and defending a perimeter player or an airborne player, should be “block.”

5. When a block or charge occurs anywhere on the court, it is a foul and should be called.

F.  Officiating Points:

1. Was the defensive player placed at a disadvantaged by being displaced or knocked to the floor?

2. Was the defensive player displaced so that he/she could not take the ball out of bounds for a quick throw-in after a score, or within the normal time permitted for any throw-in?