[JRutledge]

Camron,

You make it sound like the only part of the rule is important is the one you quoted. All the rule says is that the official has to use their judgment to decide when they shoot the ball. Unless the rule reads otherwise, nothing in the rule actually says when that time starts specifically or defines a demarcation line when that takes place. It does not say that a shot begins with two hands, one hand or after the ball hit the floor on a dribble. It says in a very vague and undefined way by stating that the official has to use their judgment. What people have come up with is the usage of "gather" which actually suggests that a dribble had to end or a move to the basket. Since most players usually shoot after they have somehow dribbled or they make some motion of shooting from still being on the floor, I think that is where it basically has come from. Now you do not have to accept that explanation, but there has been a POE on this where people use often the "on the floor" explanation for not every awarding a shot when a player is fouled. And in this play the Duke player never dribbled again and was making an obvious move to the basket. He made several moves like that in the tournament and was not passing the ball from the middle of the lane when he is the tallest player in the entire game. If that is not shooting the ball, I do not know what is. Now I can go along if you want to play semantics about if that is taking place, but he is only bumped back after he has, gathered, picked up the ball or stopped dribbling. Now in my judgment that is enough, but it can be different in your feeling and the official in question.

I guess you have the right to question a travel call, but I do not have the right to question a rule application that by all means looked like continuous motion.

Peace