"4-15-ART. 2 . . . During a dribble the ball may be batted into the air provided it is
permitted to strike the floor before the ball is touched again with the hand(s)."
This rule is definining what a player may and may not do. While it is not explicitly listed in rule 9 under illegal dribble, its mere presence in the definition of dribbling relates it to an illegal dribble.
This rule clearly says that when a ball, during a dribble, is batted into the air, the dribbler can only touch the ball again (with the hands) if it is first allowed to hit the floor. It doesn't distinguish between that subsequent touch being another dribble or a catch to end the dribble. The "during a dribble" part of the rule is only refering to the time the ball is batted, not the subsequent touch.
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