Unsportsmanlike foul issue proves a big headache for the NBL
More coaches and players will be thrown out of games if the NBL can’t get a handle on the unsportsmanlike foul interpretation. And referees are just as much the victims of the rule.
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The elephant in the room not only this week, but the past few seasons has been the NBL’s unsportsmanlike foul (USF) rule.
Let me firstly say I don’t think this is a referee issue. I think it is a rule issue, along with how it is implemented.
Basically, the rule leaves the interpretation up to the official. There is too much grey area in this.
USFs were put in place to stop players fouling to stop a fast break and purposely stop the clock. In essence it makes total sense. The issue being interpretation can be completely different from one referring crew to another. Once again, not a fault of the referees.
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All USFs go to an in game video review. This can also present problems. If you slow down most fouls throughout an NBL game with slow-mo replay, you could make an argument for a lot more USFs.
Before any naysayers out there say I am looking for an excuse for being pinged for multiple USFs the last three games, not the case. By the rule of the law I would agree three out of four of my USF were warranted calls.
An issue I had with the USF last season was as follows. If I am pump faked by a player and I jump in the air, I have the following two choices:
1. Put my arms down as I am about to fall on the player and brace for impact, thus fouling the player or
2. Try to avoid the player at all costs and potentially flip on my head and neck which I did against Perth a few weeks post having to adjust to this rule and needed a lot of ice post game.
If you selected number 1 you would be assessed with an unsportsmanlike foul, because on slow-mo replay you put your hands down on the opponents without making a play on the ball.
Once again, proof the rule needs tweaking.
I like the NBA’s interpretation of the USF, or Clear Path foul as they call it. Pretty simple. If you are behind a player in the open floor, and you grab or lunge at them, automatic USF.
Would FIBA look to change? No. FIBA likes to distance themselves with numerous rules so they are NOT like the NBA.
Moving on the rule is what it is. It is our job, and my job in particular to adjust seeing as I probably lead the league in USFs to date.
We took our 6-0 record to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup eve battle with United. No, no, not the soccer team. Melbourne United the basketball club.
This game had everything. Back and forth. The return of Casper Ware and Craig Moller. Will Weaver’s fiery ejection. And of course, no NBL game would be complete without some USFs!
We felt like we didn’t play particularly well throughout stages of the game, especially in the first quarter. Our bench did a phenomenal job getting us a lead by half time. Then fireworks ensued. After a blatant missed called in front of our bench, our head coach had seen enough. As the horn sounded for half time, he went crazy at the officials as we were walking off the court. A warranted technical foul was given.
As soon as I heard the whistle, I grabbed Will and dragged him to the tunnel and save him another technical foul. As I dragged him off the floor he was obviously still fuming, where he received his second technical foul, meaning he was now ejected from the game.
Everyone has a different opinion on whether it was warranted or not.
I thought the second tech was a quick whistle, I felt I grabbed him and had him retreating to the locker room, but the referees saw it different and threw him out.
I would take a coach being this fiery and passionate ANY day of the week. Although it is not ideal for him to be thrown out, sports get emotional. Knowing Will well enough, he will adjust and I highly doubt will get thrown out of another game again … at least for this season!
Make no mistake we lost to a better team on the night. Melbourne united showed why they were runners up last season, and NBL champions the season before.
We missed free throws, turned the ball over at crucial times, missed defensive assignments and missed box outs. They did the opposite at crucial times and won. That’s sport.
We have work to do.
If you told us we would be 6-1 at this point, we would of course take it.
We know we could easily be 4-3 right now. We stole a game in Cairns and won three tight ones against NZ twice and Adelaide.
We feel as though we have only had a handful of games in which we played a complete game for all 40 minutes. This excites me more than anything, as there is a room for improvement even with a 6-1 record.
The players on the team greatly respect Will. He is the same on a daily basis. Fiery. Well prepared. Instils confidence in every person on the team. I think an even greater respect was gained in the way in which he went to fight for us.
We obviously don’t want our head coach getting ejected. He felt like we were getting the short end of whistle in our favour, and got fired up. Maybe a little too fired up? Yes. But I will take passion and fire which needs to be turned down a little at times, over constantly having to fire someone up or get them to show some passion. But that’s just my silly opinionated self.
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Once Will was gone, our assistant coach Adam Forde took over the reins. Did we miss a beat or feel added pressure? No. Will, and our program in general do a great job of having different players, coaches and staff do different things during training. I have even noticed our injured veteran Kevin Lisch be given some coaching tasks during training to keep him engaged with the group.
Adam is no different. He has been a head coach in the SBL (Perth) and was a long time assistant at the Wildcats. He was ready for the moment and did a great job. We just couldn’t get it over the line for him.
The Sydney Kings are 6-1 with a lot of work to do!
Originally published as Unsportsmanlike foul issue proves a big headache for the NBL
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