Each week, experts are analysing the games. In order to improve the understanding of referees' decisions and to increase the transparency towards our fans, we publish some of those "tough calls", together with an explanation. This week, the emphasis will be on Unsportsmanlike Fouls.

Please find below this week's "tough calls":

Tough Call 1: Defensive Foul

On a long pass to player Green 7, defender White 5 gets into the path of his opponent, who doesn't control the ball, without respecting the elements of time and distance. Moreover, the defender creates a contact with the lateral part of his body. This is a blocking foul by White 5. Outcome: correct decision by the referees.

Tough Call 2: Unsportsmanlike Foul criteria

Yellow 12 creates continuous contact from behind on Red 3 while he drives in transition from the back to the front court. This unnecessary contact is no legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules, in order to stop the progress of the offensive team in transition (art.37.1.1).
An unsportsmanlike foul is called. Outcome: correct decision by the referees.

Tough Call 3: Unsportsmanlike Foul - Act of Shooting

Black 1 drives to the basket and while he is in the air for a lay-up, defender White 55 creates a contact with his right knee from behind. This is a hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball. An unsportsmanlike foul is called. Outcome: correct decision by the referees.

Tough Call 4: Unsportsmanlike Foul criteria

After a steal by the player Blue 9, the defender White 22 creates slight contact against Blue 9, with no legitimate attempt to directly play the ball. Even if there is obvious over-reaction by Blue 9, this is an unsportsmanlike foul. Outcome: correct decision by the referees.
Blue 9 should have been unofficially warned for over-reaction.

Tough Call 5: Offensive foul - Charge criteria

Defender Blue 31 establishes an initial guarding position (both feet on the floor and facing the opponent), outside the no-charge semicircle before White 51 jumped off the floor for the lay-up. The contact occurs on the defender's torso. This is an offensive foul for charging. Outcome: correct decision by the referees.

Tough Call 6: Unsportsmanlike Foul criteria

White 11 deflects a pass towards Blue Team's backcourt. Before White 8 had established a new control of the ball for his team, Blue 31 creates an illegal contact on White 8, not being a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules. This is an unsportsmanlike foul. Outcome: correct decision by the referees.

Tough Call 7: Unsportsmanlike Foul - Grabbing the shirt

With 13 seconds to the end of the 4th period and while the ball is still in the hands of the White Team player taking the throw-in, defender Blue 12 grabs White 22's playing shirt. This is an unsportsmanlike foul (Criteria 1 and Criteria 5 can be applied). Criteria 1, as this contact is not a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules. Criteria 5, as it is an illegal contact created by a defender on an opponent on the court during the last 2 minutes in the fourth period and in each extra period when the ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in and still in the hands of the official, or at the disposal of the player taking the throw-in. Outcome: incorrect decision by the referees.