If you watch SportsCenter, or any other morning highlight show, you've seen it by now. If you haven't seen it, here's the play. Duncan jumps to dunk the ball into his basket. He carries the ball into the cylinder; but before it enters the basket, Stoudemire is able to block the shot and knock it away.
I don't really care to discuss this in terms of NBA rules. (The announcers made a big deal of saying it was legal, although I'm not completely convinced.) Let's talk NCAA and FED.
Is it legal for a defender to touch a ball that the offensive player has carried into the cylinder? Does the ruling change if the offensive player's hand is no longer in contact with the ball? Here's the FED's "exception" to the BI rule:
Quote:
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In Articles 1 or 2, if a player has his/her hand legally in contact with the ball, it is not a violation if such contact with the ball continues after it enters a basket cylinder or if in such action, the player touches teh basket. Dunking or stuffing is legal and is not basket interference.
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In the play last night, Stoudemire's hand was not in contact with the ball outside the cylinder, and then continuing into the cylinder. He reached into the cylinder after the ball was already there and then touched the ball.
So what's the ruling? Legal, b/c the ball was legally carried into the cylinder? Or BI, b/c the contact was not initially outside the cylinder?