IRI Ball denial and G31

[LeelandS]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

Right or wrong I started a new thread for this. I have noticed that many teams used a ball denial strategy that involved not returning balls to the playing field and allowing balls to accumulate in the coral. G31 should penalize this, however I have not seen it enforced. The refs are too focused on the field to pay attention to it. This will continue to be a viable strategy unless The IRI powers would decide to add two officials to monitor the coral and inbounder play. So with all the supper shooters does this affect the game play for IRI? Can't score if your ball starved. This is not a rule change , just a decision to enforce current rules. What do you think.

I believe the strategy is not enacted the way you are thinking it, though I could be wrong.

You are thinking of the "Ball Starvation" strategy in which balls are not returned immediately to the field to keep them away from the opponents. The way this strategy is enacted, however, is not through leaving the balls in the corral (which is a violation of G31). It is done by each inbounder picking up their 2 balls out of the corral, but not returning them to the field immediately. As long as the number of balls being held in the alliance station does not exceed 6, there is no rule violation.

For reference:

Rule G31
Only Inbounders may contact Basketballs; each Inbounder may hold a maximum of two Basketballs. During Teleop, Inbounders must remove Basketballs from the Corral immediately upon arrival. All Basketballs in the Alliance Station must be held by Inbounders once removed from the Corral.
Violation: Foul