Think rules are the same in SA just has not been applied. I have seen it applied in SA plenty of times. I did see different shot clock rules used this weekend even though it was written down on the score table.

I saw multiple situations from u12 to u16 where an offensive player was in the open court without anyone in front of them on the way to the basket where a defender from behind deliberately fouled, and no unsportsmanlike call eventuated for any instance. This was also at the Easter Classic.

Often a tough one for young officials to call, but it was never called by young or old from our observations in the games watched.

Only thing id be concerned about here is giving a tech away while 2 points up and 1sec to go on the clock.

Why wasnt there 2 FTs for the tech?

Because the penalty for a technical is only one shot and has been since 2022. If you're from Victoria the VBA decided to keep the penalty at 2 shots as they didn't believe the one shot penalty was deterrent enough. The other fouls questioned are deemed take fouls and not unsportsmanlike. Calling the first foul stops the contact escalating.

Yeah im from Vic, didnt realise it was only us that gives the 2 on a tech.

Everything on that video looked good to me.

A take foul should also be awarded a free throw, doesn't it?

The most frustrating thing about the rule in these grades/leagues is the inconsistency. I liked the old days where you could tell the ref we're going to foul (or in a bit of mind games tell them you wouldn't quietly and hope the other team would be expecting one and maybe get a trap and turnover). Team could then "tap" the arm, sheer pretence at making a play on the ball, and the ref would call the foul. And because the ref would know the foul was coming you wouldn't have to mug the opposition. That's where tempers could flare because you're escalating the physical contact to get the whistle if they were unsure if you wanted the foul or not.
But unlike the NBL where there's replay and multiple angles and referees, and Vaughan Mayberry wanting his 2 minutes of glory, it's probably a couple of inexperienced refs making a game deciding call. Everyone knows it's an intentional foul, but now you have to sell the foul.
Keep the rule, but use common sense. Unless it's a hard foul or just a bear hug, just call the foul and go to the foul line. There's so much time wasted on replays now if Player A made a legitimate play on the ball, commentary are often split on the decision. Just do the NBA, and just touch them, blow the whistle without all the forensic and detective work.
If there's no-one in front of the ball, call the tech. Instead we get the "was it the inside arm or outside arm" that made contact that will determine if it's judged a legitimate play on the ball.
Yes, the last minute can take forever taking foul shots. But I'd rather a black and white rule over a judgement call that'll decide the game. It's still the same outcome the defence wants and offence knows is coming. And everyone complains about players exaggerating contact to get to the foul line that's making the NBA unwatchable.

That's a throw in foul SlowMoMitch where the foul occurs before the ball has left the hand of the inbounder under 2 mins in the 4th or OT. They are different.

1st foul they guy is playing at the ball

2nd (non foul) it looks like it was an accidental push. The ref then calls another foul that we can't see

3rd foul looked like a play on the ball


No different rules here.

4th foul could have been intentional

Why isn't your focus (or even mention) on the terrible tech foul by your team?

2nd foul were multiple back taps. Intentional, yes. Accidental, I don't think so. You can even see his teammate even mimic him after the foul.

I agree with The Phantom. Just get rid of that rule. It doesn't seem to be consistently called anyways. Quite frankly, i don't see the benefit of that rule.

Interested in the Video with the scoring banner on it. How is the video created?

From that short clip the Camberwell Team looks like they are very well coached. A professional team couldn't have done any better than what they did across those 10 secs. The players knew exactly what to do it and executed it to perfection, with good instructions from the bench.

Not sure what the Kingston team was doing with their front court inbound play, just allowed them to have to inbound in a 3 v 2 situation.

Agreed that one of the fouls occurred before the ball was inbounded. Otherwise thought the refs did well.

The smart-mouth spectator, they certainly get around.

One for the internet refs - when is the free throw shooter allowed to violate/step across in into the key. "The free throw shooter may not step over the plane of the free throw line until the ball touches the basket ring, backboard or the free throw ends."

Did the ball hit the ring or backboard? If not, when did the free throw end?

Hi all, thank you to all your responses. I have taken down the video as I have already found the answer in the Basketball SA referee rule book which is the same to that of the VJBL.

Art 37 Unsportsmanlike foul
37.1.1 Contact with an opponent and not legitimately attempting to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules.

It is a judgment call by the referee and I don't think anything could have been done at that time.

As stated above, a take foul is an accepted norm at that stage of the game. Bear hugging a guy for example is an unsportsmanlike foul. This is an accepted method to stop the clock.

Hi Sebastian, is there any reference I can refer to for that?

It is a points of emphasis philosophy. Everyone knows they want to stop the clock so unless it isn't excessive, a deliberate grab and hold an arm etc a half disguised slap at the arm/ball is accepted.

yeah I get that. Issue with that is the norm in your area may not be the norm somewhere else and thus my post. Like I said, I am basing my question from what I have personally experienced in VJBL and more so in our domestic. Maybe if it was in a referee rule book, it would be more spread across? Article 37.1.1 is in the rule book and should be the precept?

There are dozens of things in the rule book that are not applied as written. If you watched an FIBA basketball recently the unsportsmanlike foul criteria 3 - An unnecessary contact caused by the defensive player in order to the progress of the offensive team in transition is now no longer called almost at all. It was introduced for the "professional foul" or "Euro foul" where the defender deliberately fouls. I think you will find at the next world congress it will be removed altogether.

Just because it is in the rule book and written doesn't mean it is applied that way. In AFL the kicking in danger rule is rarely applied except at the junior levels.

"Just because it is in the rule book and written doesn't mean it is applied that way" - exactly.

Always has been a ridiculous situation that could be easily regulated.

Defensive player NEAREST to the ball should always have the option to simply tap the Offensive player in possession while raising other hand and shouting out "FOUL". That is a clear signal to the Officials of the deliberate intent to stop the play, push into BONUS, or send possession player to the Free Throw Line.

It would also make it easier for the Scoring Bench. The raised hand is a potential warning of an impending whistle which stops the Game clock.

I've seen so many games thrown into turmoil because of the way different Officials interpret this situation and then the resulting impact on the Game clock - which often has to be readjusted - leading to delay and frustration for everyone involved.

So many things about this sport create so much unnecessary frustration and pressure because simple common sense is not applied.

@Karma, agreed.

Your suggestion eliminates close games be potentially affected by the judgement of the refs too.

Karma has just described a normal take foul, but if you bearhug the guy its going to be unsportsmanlike...sigh

I've seen normal 'take fouls' called unsportsmanlike in VJBL games more often than not. It essentially kills the chances of the trailing team to catch up.

Good learning point for the kids to make intentional fouls not look intentional. I feel like that bar is pretty low - just vaguely go for the ball

DeepWombat +1

If you want to get pedantic, the last free throw probably shouldn't have counted.

Scores tied.

As mentioned the rules are not always crystal clear.

I think Camberwell u14 boys did the same thing against South Adelaide in their pool rounds during the NJC. South Adelaide were awarded free throws plus possession during the last few seconds of the game which sealed the win for South Ade.