Controversy at Cameron

Before the offensive player (with the ball) becomes airborne, the defender must have two feet on the floor, be facing the opponent and be stationary to draw a charge. Otherwise, it should be a blocking foul. (http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/60143/ncaa-shores-up-block-charge-definition)

The call made against C.J. Fair at the end of the Duke-Syracuse game last night was wrong. Plain and simple. Whether or not it cost Syracuse the game, we will never know. However, Syracuse would have at least tied the game with about 10 seconds remaining and even could have gone up by one point if the play were to have been called a block like it should have. As a former athlete, I know how it feels to lose a game because of a blown call. I feel terrible for the Syracuse Orange.

 

That being said, something needs to be done about the block/charge call in NCAA basketball. Apparently the 2013-2014 season was supposed to be the season that the NCAA cracked down on defensive fouls, particularly the block/charge call. The NCAA strongly defined the block/charge call, and the officials are supposed to be able to differentiate between the two. Obviously that is not the case, and there needs to be a further understanding and enforcement of the block/charge call in NCAA basketball.

I understand that officials are human. No matter how strongly the block/charge call is defined, there will not always be a correct call. However, at the end of a close game, as an official, you need to get close calls correct. Blowing a call and possibly costing a team the game is unacceptable.  Leave it at a no call if it cannot be determined.

 

What can be done so that officials can make correct calls at the end of a game? The only thing that makes sense to me is instant replay. If the officials would have had instant replay in the Duke-Syracuse game, they could have reviewed the play, gotten every officials opinion, and made the correct call. I think that because officials are human and it is impossible for them to get every call right, instant replay MUST be available at the end of close games. Taking an extra 3 minutes to evaluate a close play is well worth the time so that the correct call can be made.

 

Something MUST be done in college basketball so that teams do not lose the game because of an incorrect call. Period.

 -Jaxon Fitterer

@Fitterer_Jaxon

 

Note: Opening paragraph source is in parentheses right after the word "foul". Courtesy of ESPN.com and Eamonn Brennan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr9m7xS8NeU See for yourself, Rodney Hood was not completely set before Fair starts his upward motion.