As it has been seemingly every year, the hand check/forearm shiver is supposed to be "a point of emphasis" again in 2009-10, but referees are still somehow missing the point. (Now chime in refs, we know you are out there and plugged in.) How in the world can a defender guide, shove, move, steer, etc, a dribbler to a designated spot on the floor, where a helpside defender has been drilled/trained to trap or give help, and this it not a foul? Clearly, the ball handler is at a tremendous disadvantage when this takes place, but ... it continues to happen and is increasing.

 

And make no mistake about it, defensive players ARE trained and drilled to do just this. The question begging to be asked is, "Why?" The answer to said question is this: in order to be able to remain competitive and/or gain a competitive advantage, coaches "do what they have to do" according to what the refs call. This happens because on the jumbo-sized screen, amongst the big-time games and teams at the college and pro levels, that's what players are allowed to do, hence keeps seeping down into high school - both girls and boys. Coaches watch this stuff on the tube, and so do the players and referees.

 

Some refs seem to call the hand stuff and ignore the forearm shiver. A very few of them are strong enough to apply the rule as it is written and intended, but these folks often get a reputation for calling too many "ticky-tack" fouls. And then some officals don't call any of it - and those games are rough and have the potential to possibly get out of hand. At any rate, the hand-check doesn't appear to be leaving the game any time soon. After all, despite being "a point of emphasis" for quite a few years now, it seems to be on the rise - kind of like our current H1N1 virus.

 

Former KHSAA Director of Officials, Larry Boucher, stated that he used to get more calls from disgruntled fans, schools, etc. about the hand checking in boys' and girls' basketball. He always emphasized that a foul should be called when the "defender's hand flattens out". From the games I have seen over the years and this year, hand checking is not being called properly.

Good win for SK over an awfully good WV team. The 32nd is going to be quite a battle this year between these two...and these two are good enough to make it to the region finals against each other.

Hand Checks and Forearm shivers? SK's defense "pushes" you where they want you to go. Hand checks? Not sure about that, IMO, more of in your face not giving you room to breathe or dribble. There is no such thing as a step off and if you see them play enough, you will hear ball pressure and gap all night long. The other thing is they play man to man probably 95% of the time. That's their system and it isn't going to change no matter who they play.

 

I enjoy watching their defense because they get after it. I have read in paper that they work on D about 80% in practice and it shows. They can take their opponent's high powered offense and frustrate them which is why they have been successful. They want to hold a team in the mid-30's and score one more point, they aren't concerned about scoring a ton.

I think the difference was that Dixon did not get the ball enough. She had her defender sealed several times and the guards did not get the ball into her. Instead, they chose to throw up a 3. When you go 1 for 12 (not sure exactly how many they attempted) from behind the arc, you better look for other options. Dixon has to be involved in the offense for them to be successful.

 

Don't forget her defender is one of the top defenders in NKY. You don't score many points against her. She (Brown) held Tibbs to 7 last year in man to man and scored 17 on her.