Young players learn bad habits playing defense with their hands. Their young opponents may not be good ball handlers so they are tempted to reach/poke at balls. As they start playing against better ball handlers, these ‘pokes’ often/usually become fouls. New emphasis is put on defenders not using hands to play defense.
Scenario 1: A1 dribbling up court. B1 has Legal Guarding Position LGP but then right before crash she reaches forward to try to poke ball from A1. A1 then crashes into B1 causing B1 to fall to floor. RULING: Block. Once B1 gains LGP, she can move laterally and back, but cannot move forward into offensive player A1. B1 reached forward into A1’s space (to poke ball), losing LGP, causing the initial contact. Had B1 not poked and maintained good defense, the crash would’ve been A1’s Player Control foul.