Relevant posts in Hoops SA just died too

A pity you don't understand the value of a block. You must be a guard. Next time you watch a game pay attention to the stuff that happens inside the 3 point line - you might find there is more to basketball than dribbling the ball. Maybe you shouldn't watch. It gets physical in there.

SVD, the only irrelevant post I can see is yours.

Refs calling on suspicion has always been a problem for shot blockers but it is certainly getting tougher. The more athletic the player is in gettng up for the block, the more chance the ref won't believe they could do it cleanly and call it as a foul. I know some coaches already discourage players from trying for blocks so that will only become more common now. Defence just isn't valued in the sport any more.

same in NSW junior leagues. Any block is called a foul. Time after time a 100% clean block is a foul.


definitley an over correction by officials

The reason why so many blocks are called fouls is timing.

If the ball has left the hand it is a legitimate block, but if the ball is still in the hand of the shooter, the ball is considered by refs to be an extension of the shooter's hand.

The other thing refs look at is if any contact was made prior to the block, or after the block.

Well, seems simple then, does it not?

1. Be athletic and able to jump really well.
2. Be in your cylinder.
3. Make sure you time your block.
4. Make sure you avoid any contact (just in case you are deemed to have moved out of that cylinder).

Easy!!

Now we just have to find officials that know this, is that the issue Clydetheglide?

Yes Bear I think you are on it.
The frustrating part of it is that kids who can block are being ref'd out of the game . They block well but foul. Before you know it 3 good blocks and you are on 3 fouls. The ref who is calling it is not the one in the best position. Rarely does the baseline ref call it. The trailing ref generally does and is often behind the shooter. The kids who can perform this pure facet of the game become reluctant to do it. A block is such a dymanic event in a game. It changes offence especially in juniors where the act of the block is rare. I would hate to see this explosive asset of the game continue to be repressed. Thankfully most coaches I have come across keep encouraging it despite the officialdom. Good defence should be rewarded.

Exactly #478690. Most refs do not believe that players can block the ball cleanly from behind without making any contact on the player so it's almost always called a foul.

Refs seem to look for the bottom hand check on body rather than the ball hand - the Block foul usually comes from the body check. I think it's a real grey area that some refs go to card is the foul.

I tell my players your wasting your time coming in from the side or behind as they usually only accept front position and keep the bottom hand off.

Agressive movement and body contact usually results in whistle esp the swat down action even if its clean

its a skill to protect the basket via a well timed shot block

This is a very relevant topic:

Last night I had two referees that were quite consistent with their calls and did a good job. Given that I'm generally critical of referees, I was very pleased with their performance.

In saying that, I have a player that's insanely adept at blocking shots for an average-height 12-year-old, but is routinely called for fouls on clean blocks.

Last night the player was fouled out on the cleanest (and nastiest) block of the game - made by the trailing umpire. 2 fouls called against this player were correct, but at least 2 were dubious fouls on a block attempt.

Internal frustration is building within this player because, for all the obvious talent, fouling out is the norm. Furthermore, I don't believe it's right to advise against going for these types of plays since they're usually legal and potentially very useful skills in the long-run.

I sympathize with anyone in a similar situation.

Refs call it a foul because they are too lazy to get to the right place, base the foul on the offensive player reacting as if it was a foul, don't know the rules (calling fouls for simply jumping up straight) or just take a wild guess.

Of course, the OP's underlying theory has been questioned by many:

http://www.basketballanalyticsbook.com/2014/02/10/are-blocked-shots-a-misleading-defensive-metric/

http://growingup516.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/overrated-statistic-of-the-day-blocked-shots/

perhaps the refs are doing the players a favour?

if you cant block
then how will we eat?

All the rhetoric over a perception that shot blocking decreasingly seems to be a useful basketball statistic and the apparent over analysis on this one aspect of the game is not warranted IMO.

Nor is the hype over some officials (usually at junior level) apparently calling fouls when they can't seem to be bothered to accept that they are out of position or just believe that a solid block on the ball just looks like it must have been a foul.

The shot block will always be a part of the game that some players do better than most, it will always be a highlight in itself and coaches should continue to encourage it, because team mates and those watching love to see it...

Can we ban these types of posters with petty agendas?

As pointed out by previous posters: blocked shots are generally statistically insignificant.

However the 'ability' to block a shot, i.e. altered shots, is significant for many reasons.

How do you tell who are generally capable of altering shot attempts? That's right, 'blocked shots'.

If you disagree, go and try for a layup against Serge Ibaka.

i block a fair few shots myself

The problem begins with and ends with poor coaching. The primary defender should never block a shot unless he has his feet on the floor and does not break the offensive players cylinder I.e. arms straight up, the secondary defender/helpside is the player who can be a shot blocker and only if he's coached in the skill of blocking toward one of his teamates. I'm sick of players carrying on after blocking a shot only to give the offensive team the ball back.