Thread: Back court?
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Old Wed Sep 12, 2007, 02:14am
Nevadaref Nevadaref is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbilla
Every year I need to refresh on this one. A1 inbounds from sideline to A2 who jumps from A's frontcourt to A's backcourt, catching the ball in the air and landing completely in A's backcourt. Backcourt violation? I believe it is under the whole "position of ball on court" theory that the ball has the same position on the floor as a player who is holding it - in this case the airborne player is considered frontcourt when catching the ball and then lands backcourt. I have had people tell me that it isn't though b/c the ball does not have any "position" on the floor until it is possessed by a player on the floor...not sure where this comes from if it is the case...

Same story except when A2 alights (great word), he/she has one toe on center court line before jumping in the air. Backcourt violation?
You correctly understand both team and player control as well as frontcourt and backcourt status. In your play when A2 jumps from the frontcourt, he has frontcourt status. When A2 catches the ball, it now has frontcourt status and at the same time both player and team control are established. When A2 lands in the backcourt, the player and the ball now have backcourt status and the team still has team control.
So, if it weren't for 9-9-3, which specifically grants an exception during a throw-in that allows a player to do this, this would be a backcourt violation.

Many people will come up with many different reasons why this play isn't a violation. However, the truth is that there is only one correct reason why it isn't a violation and that reason is that 9-3-3 says it isn't. In other words, the rules specifically allow it.

I hope that helps your understanding of this situation.
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