[Yakivegas]

Preface: I'm a dad of a 5th grade AAU hoops playing girl. I've read through the NFHS and NCAA rules, but I am aware that reading and application of the rules are two different things. I also know that the judgment of the official plays an important role in calling a game.

So for my own edification, I'd like to pick your brains on a few situations.

1) Team A has the ball in their frontcourt. A1 (perhaps for reasons known only to her) dribbles the ball back toward the division line. In doing so, the ball and one foot remain in the frontcourt, but her other foot straddles the line into the backcourt. This has occurred on several occasions, and in most instances, there is no call, but on occasion it has been called as an over-and-back. What is the correct call?

2) Team A has the ball in the low post (let's say A5). Defender has established a legal guarding position. A5 backs in, and using her rear end, makes forceful contact with the defender, knocking her back a half-step or so. This continues until A5 pivots to make her shot. This happens on multiple possessions by A, and the only time a call is made is when the defender leans into (braces for?) the contact and is whistled for blocking. Does the action by A5 constitute a foul?

This last one was a situation I observed in a game preceding my daughter's:

3) Game held in a small gymnasium, with the stands and player's benches no more than 2 feet from the out of bounds line. 2nd OT, score tied with about 5 seconds on the clock. A has the ball in their frontcourt. Their point guard makes a cross court pass to her teammate, but that player had decided to cut to the lane. The ball hits in the vacated spot and bounces towards B's bench. There is not a player close enough to make an attempt at a save. The ball is heading OOB, bouncing directly at B's bench. A seated bench player reflexively/defensively grabs the loose ball just before it strikes her in the head.

There is an immediate whistle, and the official signals a technical against the bench player for what sounded like "interference". Under the league rules, a T is an automatic award of 2 points (they don't shoot the FT).

Is that a reasonable call, and if so, is there anything the bench player could have done to avoid the infraction?