[9redskin4]

I have been involved in two situations in the last week that have brought up a question about basket interference. Let me explain the situations first.

Situation 1 = Player A10 is driving to the basket on a fast break with B25 following. A10 attempts a shot and just as it leaves his hand, B25 slaps the backboard causing the entire goal to shake. At the time the backboard is slapped the ball is still clearly below the cylinder. As the trail official I call a technical foul for slapping the backboard. My partner comes to me and says that we should have basket interference and the goal should count as well. he was the senior official and I wasn't real sure at the time on the ruling, so we awarded the goal, two FT's, and team A possession. On the way home I questioned my partner and said the ball needed to be on or within the cylinder for BI to occur. 4-6 says, Basket interference occurs when a player 1. touches the ball or any part of the basket (including the net) while the ball is on or within either basket. 2. touches the ball while any part of the ball is within the imaginary cylinder which has the basket ring as its lower base. Therefore, we should not have awarded the goal based on BI rule.

Situation 2 = same as situation one, except this time B25 slaps the backboard while the ball is sitting on the ring causing the ball to fall off the ring. As the trail I called the technical, awarded the goal for BI, and possession to team A.

Later another official asked if that truly is BI. The question comes into play when you interpret the word basket in rule 4-6. Does the word basket include the backboard? My interpretation says that if the slapping of the backboard could cause the ball to not go in, then it is BI. Also the ball must be clearly on the ring or in the imaginary cylinder above the ring.

What do you guys think?