Blindfolding Diggins

[JS]

Had to laugh when MoJeff put her hands in front of Diggins's eyes. Refs evidently didn't think it was so funny.

Rules experts: You can wave your hands in front of a player who's trying to inbounds the ball. As long as you don't touch the offensive player, when does it become a violation?

Is there a distance rule? An intent rule?

 

[VAMike23]

Had to laugh when MoJeff put her hands in front of Diggins's eyes. Refs evidently didn't think it was so funny.

Rules experts: You can wave your hands in front of a player who's trying to inbounds the ball. As long as you don't touch the offensive player, when does it become a violation?

Is there a distance rule? An intent rule?

The old rule that I knew was the "3 feet" rule. On all inbounds plays, the ref is supposed to ensure 3 feet of separation between the inbounder and the defender. A little reaching forward (breaking that plane) is/was usually overlooked. But it's a technical foul if you knock the ball out of the inbounder's hands, for example. So you want to avoid that It might be a T if you even touch the ball while it's still in their hands. I don't recall.

After made baskets, the defender had a right to stand right up next to the baseline. Inbounder is supposed to stand back 3 feet. On side inbounds you don't always have that kind of room so the ref is supposed to gesture and make clear '3 feet', so the defender has to give a little ground into the court.

This is all from the 80s so I don't know if the rules have been clarified or changed since then.

 

[vtcwbuff]

This wasn't an inbound play. Jefferson was slightly behind Diggens and she reached around (with a surprisingly large hand) in a one handed version of "guess who." There may have been some light contact.

I think it may have resulted in a time out from Auriemma.

 

[meyers7]

The old rule that I knew was the "3 feet" rule. On all inbounds plays, the ref is supposed to ensure 3 feet of separation between the inbounder and the defender. A little reaching forward (breaking that plane) is/was usually overlooked. But it's a technical foul if you knock the ball out of the inbounder's hands, for example. So you want to avoid that It might be a T if you even touch the ball while it's still in their hands. I don't recall.

After made baskets, the defender had a right to stand right up next to the baseline. Inbounder is supposed to stand back 3 feet. On side inbounds you don't always have that kind of room so the ref is supposed to gesture and make clear '3 feet', so the defender has to give a little ground into the court.

This is all from the 80s so I don't know if the rules have been clarified or changed since then.

Wasn't on an inbounds play.

 

[JS]

Inbounds plays are one thing and, as you indicate, have their own set of rules. I was just using that as an example of where waving your hands in front of the offensive player's face isn't a violation.

The play I'm referring to was during the on-court action. MoJeff was standing behind Diggins and just put her hand around and held it in front of Diggins's eyes -- but a couple of inches away, like someone playing a no-touch version of "Guess who?"

Was the whistle for that, as the announcers thought, or for something else, like using the body or a timeout?

 

[Forty_four]

I do believe during the telecast that Doris mentioned that Mj hit Sky in the face. Dont know how hard or light that may have been.

 

[Replicant]

Inbounds plays are one thing and, as you indicate, have their own set of rules. I was just using that as an example of where waving your hands in front of the offensive player's face isn't a violation.

The play I'm referring to was during the on-court action. MoJeff was standing behind Diggins and just put her hand around and held it in front of Diggins's eyes -- but a couple of inches away, like someone playing a no-touch version of "Guess who?"

Was the whistle for that, as the announcers thought, or for something else, like using the body or a timeout?

I didn't see any contact on the play and last I knew, face guarding a receiver was only illegal in football - maybe the refs thought they were officiating a football game?

If Doris Burke says she saw contact, then obviously there was none.

 

[meyers7]

I do believe during the telecast that Doris mentioned that Mj hit Sky in the face. Dont know how hard or light that may have been.

I didn't see any though on the replay. I did notice that she did it with her left hand and by the time Diggins turned away to the left, Jefferson was already on her other side.

 

[VAMike23]

Inbounds plays are one thing and, as you indicate, have their own set of rules. I was just using that as an example of where waving your hands in front of the offensive player's face isn't a violation.

The play I'm referring to was during the on-court action. MoJeff was standing behind Diggins and just put her hand around and held it in front of Diggins's eyes -- but a couple of inches away, like someone playing a no-touch version of "Guess who?"

Was the whistle for that, as the announcers thought, or for something else, like using the body or a timeout?

I remember the play, was just answering the question I thought you were posing re: inbounds.

IIRC there was also some contact when MoJeff put her hand around Diggins' face. To my knowledge you can have a hand in the face at any time as long as there is no contact. Certainly we see it all the time (and quite close) on many jump shots. Can't say that I've ever seen a 'wrap-around' hand in the face a la MoJeff, however

 

[HuskyJJ]

She wasn't touched, it wasn't an inbounds play, it was a bad call.

 

[intlzncster]

It's not illegal to stick your hand in shooter's or passer's face in game. Just can't make contact. No idea if Mojo did or not.

 

[stamfordhusky]

She wasn't touched, it wasn't an inbounds play, it was a bad call.

No. Actually the refs may have given UConn a break by saying that contact occurred and just calling a personal foul. NCAA rules say that it is a technical foul if a defender at any time is guilty of "purposely obstructing an opponent's vision by waving or placing hand(s) near her eyes."

This rule applies at any time, including in-bound passes. BTW, on in-bound plays, the in-bounder can move as far away from the line as she chooses (asssuming there is room). There is no 3-foot limitation or any other limitation. One other myth some people believe is thinking that when the ball is being inbounded (not after a made basket) a player cannot move once she is handed the ball by the referee to in-bound. In fact, the player can move both feet as long as she stays in the designated area or moves straight backwards.

 

[huskymedic]

Not the play in question because Mo was behind her and SD didn't have the ball... but you go Mo.

 

[Replicant]

Not the play in question because Mo was behind her and SD didn't have the ball... but you go Mo.

View attachment 2691

Mo was only taking her temperature.

 

[CL82]

I remember El Amin doing something similar and then laughing about it after the foul.

Geno at the next stoppage: "Now Moriah, when I said put a hand in her face...."

 

[intlzncster]

No. Actually the refs may have given UConn a break by saying that contact occurred and just calling a personal foul. NCAA rules say that it is a technical foul if a defender at any time is guilty of "purposely obstructing an opponent's vision by waving or placing hand(s) near her eyes."

This rule applies at any time, including in-bound passes. BTW, on in-bound plays, the in-bounder can move as far away from the line as she chooses (asssuming there is room). There is no 3-foot limitation or any other limitation. One other myth some people believe is thinking that when the ball is being inbounded (not after a made basket) a player cannot move once she is handed the ball by the referee to in-bound. In fact, the player can move both feet as long as she stays in the designated area or moves straight backwards.

And yet it is used all the time on the mens side and rarely called (El Amin not withstanding). It's taught at camps too. Especially for a smaller guy who has no chance of blocking a taller guy's shot. Perhaps it's only called with regularity in the womens' game.

Damn thing won't let you post more than 2 images. You can find however many you want.

 

[stamfordhusky]

And yet it is used all the time on the mens side and rarely called (El Amin not withstanding). It's taught at camps too. Especially for a smaller guy who has no chance of blocking a taller guy's shot. Perhaps it's only called with regularity in the womens' game.

It is occasionally called in both the men's and women's game. I've seen it on both sides. Both share the same rule, where a player cannot "purposely obstruct an opponent's vision by waving or placing hand(s) near her eyes." ​

​

​

The key is that is must be viewed as a deliberate attempt to block someone's vision. If a player is smart, they can easily get away with obstructing the shooter's vision to some extent by extending towards the ball - which may coincidentally block the vision, especially on the follow-through when a player tries to block the shot as the player goes up. A referee is not going to call this violation in a shooting situation unless it is extremely clear that there was no attempt at all to go for the ball. In Jefferson's case it was very clear.​

 

[John Glass]

actual photo of what Mo was doing

 

[Icebear]

She didn't get called for the foul until she went,"Nyuck. Nyuck."

 

[pinotbear]

Hey Mo! Hey Mo!

 

[OneTrickPony]

Not the play in question because Mo was behind her and SD didn't have the ball... but you go Mo.

View attachment 2691

Shoulda had a V8...