We tend to over work some things
The dribble has to start when he pushes it TOWARD the floor. I know the rule doesn't use the word "toward" but that is surely the intent (of the rule and of the player). Surely you wouldn't call it no dribble if it hit the defender's foot.
And the dribble ends when he catches it.
Perhaps he doesn't catch it but continues his dribble... his pivot foot moved with the first downward motion. If you didn't call that first downward push the beginning of a dribble, then are you going to call a travel with the second downward motion because his pivot foot has now moved?
Check CB 4.15.4D(c) "While dribbling... (c)the ball hits A1's foot and bounces away but A1 is able to overtake and pick it up.... In (c) the DRIBBLE (my emphasis) ended when A1 caught the ball... Even though the dribble has ended in (c)... A1 may recover the ball."
I realize the posted scenario doesn't include "bounces away" but this is a no-brainer. He dribbled and got lucky that it bounced back to himself.
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"There are no superstar calls. We don't root for certain teams. We don't cheat. But sometimes we just miss calls." - Joe Crawford
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