03-25-2010, 09:50 AM
service this morning concerning intentional fouling in the last few minutes of a game. Many conflicting opinions on whether it's fair, good, bad, or whatever.
One of the most interesting comments concerning the unfairness of it was made by Terry Holland, former Virginia coach, and current AD at East Carolina, and this was the first time I thought about this, was that a team fouling limits the other team to 2 points, while they can come down and make a 3 point shot. I can think of several easy ways to correct that.
One is if the team is fouled in the backcourt to stop the clock in the last two minutes of the game, they receive 3 free throws and 10 seconds run off the clock. Since they have 10 seconds to get the ball across the mid court line, that could work. That's a pretty simple correction. The other would be that any foul committed by the team behind in the last two minutes would require that at least 10 seconds be run off the clock. This would apply when the team ahead doesn't start the play in the backcourt, but is throwing the ball in in the forecourt.
Of course there are some coaches and players who like the way it is now constructed, but when the final 60 seconds of a game requires 7 minutes to finish, as a game between Duke and Maryland did in 2001. That's just crazy. With the adjustments I mentioned, it still give the team behind a chance to come back, but doesn't penalize the team that has been ahead most of the game, or at least in the last part of the game, too unfairly.
One of the most interesting comments concerning the unfairness of it was made by Terry Holland, former Virginia coach, and current AD at East Carolina, and this was the first time I thought about this, was that a team fouling limits the other team to 2 points, while they can come down and make a 3 point shot. I can think of several easy ways to correct that.
One is if the team is fouled in the backcourt to stop the clock in the last two minutes of the game, they receive 3 free throws and 10 seconds run off the clock. Since they have 10 seconds to get the ball across the mid court line, that could work. That's a pretty simple correction. The other would be that any foul committed by the team behind in the last two minutes would require that at least 10 seconds be run off the clock. This would apply when the team ahead doesn't start the play in the backcourt, but is throwing the ball in in the forecourt.
Of course there are some coaches and players who like the way it is now constructed, but when the final 60 seconds of a game requires 7 minutes to finish, as a game between Duke and Maryland did in 2001. That's just crazy. With the adjustments I mentioned, it still give the team behind a chance to come back, but doesn't penalize the team that has been ahead most of the game, or at least in the last part of the game, too unfairly.