Debate about new controversial NCAA hand-check, blocking and charging rule interpretations hasn’t ceased, even several games into the 2013-14 season.
Ohio has fared similarly to teams across the country, committing 99 fouls through its first four games, up from 76 whistles in the same span last year. Ohio’s opponents have committed 82 fouls in their games against the Bobcats this season.
The rule changes, which focus on hand-checking and blocking charge interpretations, were implemented to increase scoring, but players have yet to adjust and an influx of whistles has slowed games.
Last season, NCAA teams finished with the lowest scoring average, 67.5 points per game, since the 1981-82 season. As a result, the men’s college basketball rules committee voted in May to update the rules for hand-checking, blocking and charging calls.
Ohio coach Jim Christian has yet to form an opinion on if the rules are beneficial for college basketball, but said the Bobcats must tighten their man-to-man defense and limit transition fouls nonetheless.
“I don’t know that the way the game was called in the past was bad,” Christian said. “I think some of it’s overblown. I’m not sure if the charge block call is good or bad. Sometimes it rewards bad offensive plays … Obviously it leads to some more scoring — the games have been higher scoring.”
Ohio has invited referees to practice to acclimate players to the rule changes.
According to the committee, these rules have been part of basketball for many years, but more physical play has given way over time, so changes were implemented to “ensure a balance between offense and defense,” according to the NCAA.
The hand-checking changes reduce the defender’s ability to halt scoring opportunities, because a player can’t place both hands on a ball handler, use an arm bar to slow down the dribbler or jab an opposing player.
Because of the changes, defenders will be forced to be more mobile while guarding, instead of using their hands, which should lead to a less physical, smoother game.
Ohio senior guard Nick Kellogg said the hand-check fouls haven’t affected his defending much because he played soccer in high school and is adept with his feet.
“When I foul, I think my fouls are legitimate, but I played soccer, so I’m pretty decent with moving my feet and trying to create angles and cut guys off,” Kellogg said. “Obviously if you’re a basketball player, you’ve hand-checked before, so you just kind of have to get used to it and play with your feet more than your hands.”
According to the NCAA’s revised blocking and charging rules, a blocking foul can occur when a defender is not in guarding position and obstructs a ball handler who has begun an upward motion to pass or shoot.
Senior guard Ricardo Johnson said that the blocking rule has been tougher to adjust to than the hand check rule because on the perimeter, it’s relatively easy to tell whether a player interferes with his opponent. In the paint, where most blocks are called, it’s tougher for players to judge whether a play is a block or a charge.
He added that later this season players should have a better understanding of the new interpretations.
“With the new rules, it’s hard because we used to take charges last year that are now blocks,” Johnson said. “We just have to adapt, it’s going to come with time.”
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