basic Q

[so cal lurker]

Please correct me if I'm wrong. A is chasing a ball near the side line and slaps it to keep it in play. His momentum takes him off the court and he comes back on before picking up the ball.

Per NFHS rules,
*As long as the referee concludes he was saving the ball, he is perfectly entitled to be the next person to touch the ball, but
*If the referee concludes that the slap was the start of a dribble, he commits an out of bounds violation by stepping off the court during a dribble.

Is that right.

And is my memory right that NCAA men have the same rule, but women have a more complicated rule about not being first to touch after having been off the court?

And last, anyone know and care to share what the NBA rule is?

Came from a civil discussion of rule sets after a pick up game this morning . . .

[JRutledge]

All I can say is this is not football. No first to touch after coming out of bounds profession on a saving of the ball where your momentum clearly takes you out of bounds.

I cannot speak for NCAAW rules, but NCAAM and NF are basically the same rule in this area.

Peace

[APG]

NBA, it depends:

A player may bat a loose ball to save it, and be the first to touch the ball after establishing himself inbounds (something in, nothing out...same as NFHS/NCAA).

NBA Case Book (2014-2015)

23. Player A1 saves a loose ball from going out-of-bounds by batting the ball back onto the playing court. May Player A1 be the first to touch the ball when he returns onto the court?

Yes. The batting of the ball does not constitute player control, therefore Player A1 may be the first to touch the ball.
RULE 10 - SECTION II - b

If a player loses control of the ball and saves it, he may not be the first to touch the ball after going out of bounds. Also, if a player throws the ball to save the ball (which means he's established possession), he may NOT be the first to touch after he comes back inbounds.

NBA Case Book (2014-2015)

284. Team A has just lost control of the ball and it is in the air over the boundary line (never having touched out-of-bounds). Player A1 leaps from the playing court, bats the ball back into play and he then lands out-of-bounds. What is the ruling?

This is a legal play by Player A1. The ball is not out-of-bounds until it touches someone or something that is out-of-bounds. On this play, Player A1 may also be the first to touch the ball once he touches inbounds with one foot and is not touching out-of bounds. If Player A1 threw the ball back inbounds, he is not allowed to be the first player to touch the ball.

RULE 8 - SECTION I
RULE 10 - SECTION XIII - g

[JetMetFan]

This is AR 145/149 (NCAAM/NCAAW). I can't say whether the ruling has changed because I haven't seen the new case books but this is what it was as of the end of last season...

A1 deflects a pass near the end line. The ball falls to the floor inbounds but A1, who is off balance, falls outside the end line. A1 returns to the playing court, secures control of the ball, and dribbles.

RULING: Legal. A1 has not left the playing court voluntarily and was not in control of the ball when leaving the playing court. The same should be true when A1 makes a try from under the basket and momentum carries A1 off the playing court. It is legal when the try is unsuccessful, and A1 comes onto the playing court and regains control of the ball.

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

And is my memory right that NCAA men have the same rule, but women have a more complicated rule about not being first to touch after having been off the court?

I think you may have been confusing the above scenario with this rule:

NCAAM & NCAAW 9-4-1 ('13-15)
A player who steps out of bounds under his/her own volition and then becomes the first player to touch the ball after returning to the playing court has committed a violation.
a. A violation has not been committed when a player, who steps out of bounds as permitted by Rule 7-4.6.b (i.e., during a throw-in following a successful or awarded goal), does not receive the pass along the end line from a teammate and is the first to touch the ball after his/her return to the playing court.

[so cal lurker]

Thanks all!

And yes, jetmetfan, that is the rule I was thinking about -- not sure why I thought it was only a W rule