We have been besieged by questions asking us to talk about the landing spot rule, which caused a number of players to be suspended and sanctioned the past two seasons. 

The landing spot rule was formulated to prevent a defender from taking advantage of an airborne shooter by placing his foot on the latter’s landing spot, a situation which more often than not results to injury. The heavy penalties imposed were meant for a defender who merely extends his foot and plants it on the landing spot, or a defender whose feet hardly leaves the floor and then extends and plants his foot on the landing spot. The heavier sanctions were not meant for a defender who seriously challenges the shooter by jumping high to contest the shot but then accidentally lands first on the spot where the shooter eventually lands.

A. NO SERIOUS CHALLENGE FROM DEFENDER (Defender does not hardly leaves floor)

1.    IF WITHOUT CONTACT

•    IN THE GAME: FFP1 is called; two (2) Free Throws are awarded; ball possession is retained by team of offended player; and guilty player “sits” for three (3) playing minutes for the first offense. Second or subsequent offenses of players from same team will “sit” guilty player for five (5) minutes.

•    IN THE OFFICE: A FINE of at least Php 5,000.00 is assessed.

2.    IF WITH CONTACT

•    IN THE GAME: FFP2 is called; two (2) Free Throws are awarded; ball possession is retained by team of offended player; and guilty player is ejected from the game.

•    IN THE OFFICE: A FINE of at least   Php 10,000.00 is assessed, whatever is the consequence of the contact and an AUTOMATIC, MINIMUM ONE (1) GAME SUSPENSION is imposed ONLY if the contact results in a dire consequence.

-    “DIRE CONSEQUENCE” defined as the offended player suffers an injury that forces him to leave the playing court to get medical attention and is unable to return even to the bench and resume playing for the remainder of the game.

B. WITH SERIOUS CHALLENGE FROM DEFENDER  (Defender jumps to contest shot)

    i. No call if contact is negligible – slight contact or just small part of the foot.

    ii. Ordinary foul is called on the defender if the shooter’s foot (entire or major part) lands on the defender’s foot.

    iii. FFP1 is called on the defender if the shooter’s foot lands on the defender’s foot and contact results in dire consequence (i.e. injury to player resulting in inability to play).