Intentional Fouls vs Flagrant Fouls

QUESTION: I really enjoy reading your "Ask the Ref" section. I have a question regarding your response to a question on an "intentional foul."  The questioner asks, "On a break away lay up the player is fouled excessively hard from behind. The ref calls an intentional foul..."  I thought an intentional foul had nothing to do with the foul being "excessively hard".  Isn't the writer asking about a flagrant personal foul?  An "intentional" foul has nothing to do with severity, but only that a normal basketball play isn't being made.  Also, is there any difference between the penalty for these two types of fouls other than that with a flagrant foul the offender gets tossed out of the game?

ANSWER - Terrific question!!  But before responding, let's first understand that this column deals with Federation Rules (high school boys) and to some extent NCAA (men's) rules.  My answer to the reader's earlier question was based on Federation and NCAA rules.  My suspicion is that you might be watching some NBA (pro) ball and since the terminology and rules are a lot different in the pros, you may have gotten a little confused.

Under Federation and NCAA rules, there are actually two different circumstances under which an "intentional" (foul) can be called.  The first is the one you alluded to......the situation where there is "no play on the ball" and, as you suggested, is not based on the severity of the contact.  An example of this might be the breakaway where the defender has no chance to block the shot but, coming in from behind, he simply reaches around and holds the shooter's arm to prevent him from shooting.  We've all seen this play and it is the classic "intentional" foul call and should be an easy call.

But the second type deals with the situation where there is play on the ball but in the process of blocking the shot, there is also contact with the shooter which, in the judgment of the official, is not "incidental" but is "unnecessarily excessive."  An example of this might also be a breakaway but this time the defender has a legitimate opportunity to block the shot and also gets overly aggressive.  The defender goes up (again from behind) and gets the block but follows through so aggressively that he knocks the offensive player to the floor.  That is the classic example of "unnecessarily excessive," and can be ruled an "intentional foul."  Let's remember that even though the defender gets the block, it is not a license to kill!  At the same time, the official must be careful not to fall for a little acting on the part of the shooter.  It can be difficult to sort out, but frankly, that's the official's job.

Taken one step further, if the official feels the contact was SO severe and unnecessary that it actually jeopardized the physical safety of the shooter, he could call a "flagrant foul."  This would require the defender to be ejected from the game in addition to awarding the two free throws for the intentional foul.

Unfortunately, in the NBA the word "flagrant" has an entirely different meaning and that only serves to confuse the average fan watching a high school or college game.  In the NBA, a "flagrant" foul does not necessarily translate into automatic ejection.

So, I can understand your confusion.  I hope this clarifies things for you.

Do you have a question?  Have you seen a play you didn't understand?   Was there

a controversy you'd like clarified?  Send your questions in and I'll do my best to get you an answer.

                                                            Skip Yutzler

                                                         IAABO Board 127

                             36 Years High School and Junior College Official

                            5 Times NY State HS Championships - Glens Falls

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