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Duffman,
Your confusion could be from the 2011-12 rule 9-9-1. Ive attached the below that was posted by Nevadaref in August 2011. The case book play DOES NOT match the new wording.
NEW NFHS backcourt violation rule The NFHS has changed the definition of a backcourt violation in the 2011-12 rules book. Unfortunately, this change has NOT been announced as either a rule change or an editorial change! Previous wording (2010-11 season):Art. 1... A player shall not be the first to touch a ball after it has been in team control in the frontcourt, if he/she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt.Art. 2... While in team control in its backcourt, a player shall not cause the ball to go from backcourt to frontcourt and return to backcourt, without the ball touching a player in the frontcourt, such that he/she or a teammate is the first to touch it in the backcourt.Art. 3... A player from the team not in control (defensive player or during a jump ball or throw-in) may legally jump from his/her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or backcourt.
NEW 2011-12 text:Art. 1... A player shall not be the first to touch a ball after it has been in player and team control in the frontcourt, if he/she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt.Art. 2... While in player and team control in its backcourt, a player shall not cause the ball to go from backcourt to frontcourt and return to backcourt, without the ball touching a player in the frontcourt, such that he/she or a teammate is the first to touch it in the backcourt.Art. 3... During a jump ball, throw-in or while on defense, a player may legally jump from his/her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or backcourt.Obviously the change is an attempt to mesh the backcourt rule with the new rule for team control during a throw-in. However, I believe that the NFHS didn't do this properly and actually made a significant change in way the backcourt rule works. This is more than just a wording change for editorial purposes in my opinion. Here is the play which I believe has been altered. A1 is dribbling in his backcourt. He throws a pass to A2 who is standing in Team A's frontcourt. The ball caroms off A2's knee and returns to the backcourt where A1 retrieves it. According to article 1 from 2010-11 this would be a backcourt violation. However, since there was no player control in the frontcourt by A2, only team control by team A, according to the new wording for article 1 of 2011-12 there would not be a violation.Note that this play is not covered by article 2 either as a player does touch the ball in the frontcourt. The problem is that the player in the frontcourt never gains control and the new wording clearly requires both player and team control in the frontcourt.
I have put the changes to the text from the previous season in red.
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