Travel call for hand off?

[Jim Henry]

In middle school game I had this happen and coach questioned the play.
Team A in possession in front court. A1 standing with ball. A2 runs by and takes ball from A1 and scores. Opposing coach says that both players were in possession of ball at same time and since A2 was moving it is a travel. She says no different then if A1 and A2 simultaneously get rebound and hold ball and feet move. My answer was it was a hand off and OK. But actually A1 never released. She just stood there with ball in hands and teammate took it. NOTE: It was a set play. Please advise.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Jim Henry

In middle school game I had this happen and coach questioned the play.
Team A in possession in front court. A1 standing with ball. A2 runs by and takes ball from A1 and scores. Opposing coach says that both players were in possession of ball at same time and since A2 was moving it is a travel. She says no different then if A1 and A2 simultaneously get rebound and hold ball and feet move. My answer was it was a hand off and OK. But actually A1 never released. She just stood there with ball in hands and teammate took it. NOTE: It was a set play. Please advise.

Was the coach in her mid-forties and from Iowa by chance? That used to be the rule there in the old 6-player half-court system.

It is illegal if the quarterback is OOB for a throw-in, though.

[Dad]

Originally Posted by Jim Henry

In middle school game I had this happen and coach questioned the play.
Team A in possession in front court. A1 standing with ball. A2 runs by and takes ball from A1 and scores. Opposing coach says that both players were in possession of ball at same time and since A2 was moving it is a travel. She says no different then if A1 and A2 simultaneously get rebound and hold ball and feet move. My answer was it was a hand off and OK. But actually A1 never released. She just stood there with ball in hands and teammate took it. NOTE: It was a set play. Please advise.

Kinda. Maybe. Sorta. This is a case book play where both players are moving one foot after a rebound they have joint control of. As long as neither moved the pivot foot then it's not a travel. So if A2, while holding onto the ball picked up her pivot foot and dropped it back down, then yes it was a travel.

Edit: I want to say the coach is wrong. "since A2 was moving" is not a reason to call a travel

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Jim Henry

In middle school game I had this happen and coach questioned the play.
Team A in possession in front court. A1 standing with ball. A2 runs by and takes ball from A1 and scores. Opposing coach says that both players were in possession of ball at same time and since A2 was moving it is a travel. She says no different then if A1 and A2 simultaneously get rebound and hold ball and feet move. My answer was it was a hand off and OK. But actually A1 never released. She just stood there with ball in hands and teammate took it. NOTE: It was a set play. Please advise.

I think the key here is that it is a middle school game and the coach is relying on myths rather than rules . . .

But it's not automatically a travel with dual possession of a rebound and "feet move" -- it is a travel if either of the players, each of whom has the ball, in fact travels (which often happens if they try to pull the ball away from one another.

I would say the hand-off is entirely irrelevant and the R has to ask two questions (1) did the player who started with the ball travel before ceding possession of the ball (which is exactly the same question if the player made a pass), and (2) did the player who received the ball travel with the ball after receiving possession (Which is exactly the same question if the player caught a pass).

[Hugh Refner]

Ask the coach this: If they both have their hands on the ball and they both throw it at the hoop and it goes in, do they get double points?

[Jim Henry]

Originally Posted by so cal lurker

I think the key here is that it is a middle school game and the coach is relying on myths rather than rules . . .

But it's not automatically a travel with dual possession of a rebound and "feet move" -- it is a travel if either of the players, each of whom has the ball, in fact travels (which often happens if they try to pull the ball away from one another.

I would say the hand-off is entirely irrelevant and the R has to ask two questions (1) did the player who started with the ball travel before ceding possession of the ball (which is exactly the same question if the player made a pass), and (2) did the player who received the ball travel with the ball after receiving possession (Which is exactly the same question if the player caught a pass).

clarification: A1 was standing still with ball. A2 grabs ball from A1, dribbles and scores.

[Refhoop]

Had this last night during a VG game.
Team B while attempting to run clock ended up with a point guard trying to wrestle the ball away from her teammate - who wouldn't let go - for some odd reason. I called a travel, because the point guards' feet were moving, but the ball wasn't...

[so cal lurker]

Originally Posted by Jim Henry

clarification: A1 was standing still with ball. A2 grabs ball from A1, dribbles and scores.

How does that change anything? Once A2 had possession, did she travel? IOTW, did she lift her pivot foot before she released the ball on her dribble. How she got the ball (handoff, pass, steal, rebound, divine interference. . . ) just doesn't matter.

[Camron Rust]

As others have said (but it maybe could use being said another way)....

It is only a travel if either player traveled on his/her own. The fact that a teammate was also holding the ball is irrelevant.