[BillyMac]

I finally got hold of the IAABO Refresher Exam answer sheet.

Here's one of the three questions that I got wrong.

#48 With four minutes remaining in the quarter, A-1, in the backcourt, throws a pass toward A-5 in the frontcourt. The pass hits the ring and rebounds untouched back to A-1 in the backcourt. The officials allow play to continue. Is this correct?

My answer: #48 Yes.
IAABO answer: #48 No.

4-4-5: A ball which touches the front faces or edges of the backboard is treated the same as touching the floor inbounds.

9-9-2: While in player and team control in its backcourt, a player must not cause the ball to go from backcourt to frontcourt and return to backcourt, without the ball touching a player in the frontcourt, such that he/she or a teammate is the first to touch it in the backcourt.

2021-22 NFHS Basketball Casebook 9.5 Situation: A1 dribbles and comes to a stop after which he/she throws the ball against: (a) the team’s own backboard; (b) the opponent’s backboard; or (c) an official and catches the ball after each. Ruling: Legal in (a); a team’s own backboard is considered a try for goal. In (b) and (c), A1 has violated; throwing the ball against an opponent’s backboard or an official constitutes another dribble, provided A1 is first to touch the ball after it strikes the official or the board. (4-4-5; 4-15-1, 4-15-2; Fundamental 19)

The four elements for having a backcourt violation are: there must be team control (and initial player control when coming from a throwin); the ball must have achieved frontcourt status; the team in team control must be the last to touch the ball before it goes into the backcourt; that same team must be the first to touch after the ball has been in the backcourt.

If A1’s pass hits the backboard, it’s considered a try (2021-22 NFHS Basketball Casebook 9.5 Situation), ending team control, thus no backcourt violation.

Call it a "try" (based on the ball hitting the backboard/ring/basket) and A1 can legally pick it up in the backcourt, and even start a possible new dribble.

However, the question says ring, not backboard. Is the ball touching the basket/ring the same as the ball touching the backboard?

It appears that IAABO allowed me to substitute the word backboard for basket/ring in #7 (see below, ball touching opponent's basket in backcourt for a possible illegal (double) dribble) but wouldn't allow me to substitute the word backboard for basket/ring in #48 (ball going from backcourt to frontcourt ring and back into backcourt).

Why allow the substitution of the word backboard for basket/ring in one question but not the other?

I should have gotten both #48 and #7 correct, or I should have gotten both #48 and #7 incorrect.

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#7 A-1 attempts a pass to A-2 in Team A’s backcourt. The ball hits Team B’s basket and deflects directly back to A-1 who catches the ball and starts a dribble. The official rules a legal play. Is this correct?

My answer: #7 No. Official is incorrect. Illegal (double) dribble.
IAABO answer: #7 No.

4-4-5: A ball which touches the front faces or edges of the backboard is treated the same as touching the floor inbounds.

4.15.1 SITUATION C: A1 attempts a pass to A2 during pressing action in A’s backcourt. The ball hits B’s backboard and deflects directly back to A1 who catches the ball and: (a) passes the ball to A2; or (b) starts a dribble. RULING: The pass against B’s backboard was the start of a dribble which ended when A1 caught the ball. In (a), the pass is legal action. In (b), it is a violation for a second dribble. (4-4-5; 9-5)

4.15.4 SITUATION C: After dribbling and coming to a stop, A1 throws the ball: (a) against the opponent’s backboard and catches the rebound; (b) against an official, immediately recovers the ball and dribbles again; or (c) against his/her own backboard in an attempt to score (try), catches the rebound and dribbles again. RULING: A1 has violated in both (a) and (b). Throwing the ball against the opponent’s backboard or an official constitutes another dribble, provided A1 is first to touch the ball after it strikes the official or the board. In (c), the action is legal. Once the ball is released on the try, there is no player or team control, therefore, A1 can recover the rebound and begin a dribble.

Is the ball touching the basket/ring the same as the ball touching the backboard?

According to IAABO, apparently yes, it’s the same, at least in #7.

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Can we extrapolate what we've learned in #7 to #48?

I've sent an email to my local interpreter questioning this.

Comments?