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[QUOTE="Coach Orange, post: 921151, member: 2260"]
I think there is a difference between being able to block a ball from a position that is not the on-ball defender and establishing position in terms of the Rule of Verticality. Roc's block is still a good block. However, I'm not sure that defending why the action isn't a foul using the Rule of Verticality works in this case.

The key to the Rule of Verticality is that the defender must establish a legal guarding position prior to the start of the shot, and then must maintain that movement thereafter. He must keep his body in this position (including his arms and hands), occupying the space in his vertical plane, even when leaving his feet. As I watch the play, I don't see Roc do that. Roc runs into the play at the last second, never establishing a legal guarding position as defined in the rules.

However, your point is correct--he has the right to protect the rim, even without establishing that legal guarding position first. This is how most weak-side blocks occur, with no need to establish the legal guarding position. Roc blocks the ball cleanly, and Hood's arm hits Roc's as its momentum carries it forward. That is incidental contact at that point, because the ball has already been diverted. No advantage is gained by the defender as a result of the contact--hence, no foul.

If I was a Duke fan, the one argument I may have is that Roc swings his arm down on the play, which is often an automatic cause of a whistle on the defense (because it breaks verticality). However, again, without definitive evidence, it would appear the refs chose to let them play on in that spot.
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