[referee99]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

This statement is 100% correct, but I believe that referee99 is trying to point out to us that the backboard limits the position of the ball, inside and outside, of the imaginary cylinder, when the ball is behind the basket. If the ball is on either side of the basket, to the left, or to the right, then it is possible for the ball to either be either inside the cylinder, or outside the cylinder. If the ball is in front of the basket, the it is possible for the ball, again, to either be inside the cylinder, or outside the cylinder. What, I think, referee99 is saying is that the backboard may be a limiting factor behind the basket, that is, if the ball is in contact with the backboard, and it's not too far to the left, or too far the right, of the basket, then that ball must, according to referee99, be inside the cylinder. The ball can't go farther back than the backboard, it's against the laws of physics. I'll let someone else work out the math, using the diameter of the ball, and the depth of the flange attached to the backboard. It's 19 degrees outside right now, and I refuse to go out onto my icy driveway, get up on a ladder, and check out referee99's theory on my basket and backboard.

On the side of the court were baskets at 8' height, so I got a chance to play with this.
When a mens basketball is placed so that the vertical center of the ball is aligned with the middle of the outer edge of the 'shooters rectangle' and the ball is touching the backboard, the ball is not touching the cylinder with the ring of the basket as its imaginary base. It is juuust outside of the cylinder.

Move it in 1" and it is touching that imaginary cylinder.