This is the best news that we’ve seen come out of the NCAA Rules Committee in a long time. It’s not quite what we’ve been requesting for lo the last decade (an NBA-style block/charge semicircle under the basket), but it’s a good start. NOTHING in college basketball makes us more irate than watching an excellent move and finish get taken away because some douchebag stepped over at the last second and camped out directly under the rim (ok, maybe Mike Patrick, but nothing else). If the NCAA Rules Oversight Panel approves this measure on June 3, and it should, we’ll no longer have to deal with this bastardization of the rules. Here’s the story on what will definitely be known as the Shane Battier Rule, from the AP:
The recommendation on play under the basket won’t call for a restricted-area arc painted in the lane as the NBA has, but it prohibits a secondary defender from establishing position in the area from the front of the rim to the front of the backboard. A defender must establish position outside that area to draw a charge or player-control foul. “In our surveys and rules forums, the coaches wanted the committee to address the increasing contact that seems to occur under the basket,” NCAA Secretary-Rules Editor for Men’s Basketball Ed Bilik said. “Instead of an experimental rule, this clarifies how officials are to call this play throughout the season.”
If this rule is actually implemented next season and called as currently contemplated, we figure it’s worth at least three buckets for opposing teams in Cameron. Not. Insignificant.
View Comments (1)
Interesting. Does anyone wonder what this "restricted area" is shaped like? Is it rectangular or
triangular (think about it)? Do you have to have both feet in or out to get the charge call?
I also find it funny that they specifically say something to the effect of "We're NOT going to do it like
the NBA does it." Why? Seems to have worked pretty well, there. And it takes something once a judgment
call by the refs and turns it into a concrete rule, which is how everyone prefers it. And why not just demarcate
the area, whatever it is? Sure would make it easier on the players and refs. Looks like the NCAA is doing
this differently from the NBA...well, just for the sake of being different from the NBA.
I totally agree with NVR that this is a step in the right direction. Absolutely zero question about that. But
as it's written, the rule will still leave it largely up to the referees' judgment, when the matter could
simply be made concrete. I can just see these refs doing on-the-fly geometry (was he in the 'area' or out?
did the contact happen before he made the shot or after? did he have one foot in or both or none? do
i have the best angle to make this call?) and making a split-second decision. But who knows, maybe they'll
define it further. Hope so.
John Stevens
RTC