Fun With The Division Line ...

[BillyMac]

JRutledge and Raymond brought up some good points in their posts, so I looked at the video again.

I am certain the the ball never touched the frontcourt, and thus never achieved frontcourt status as it was dribbled. The ball only achieved frontcourt status when dribbler Red #40 picked up his dribble with both hands after the official sounded her whistle for the backcourt violation.

Of course, the official in the video didn't have the luxury of second slow motion look.

The only question that I have is how did the ball end up going "backward", did Red #40 dribble it "backward", or did the ball deflect off of Red #40's body and deflect "backward"?

Dribble "backward" is easy, legal, no backcourt violation.

Originally Posted by Raymond

It's possible the ball hit A1's backside after he was completely in the front court, then went into the back court.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

..knocked backwards.

If the ball did deflect off of Red #40's body and deflect "backward" as an interrupted dribble, does that move "cancel" the "three points" rule, giving the interrupted dribbler "full" frontcourt status (like if the ball had been passed to him and he touched but muffed catching the pass while he was standing in the frontcourt), and thus, a backcourt violation after the ball bounced in the backcourt and Red #40 then touched the ball with his next dribble?

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Could there have been an interrupted dribble here, and would that affect the adjudication?

Nice video. We don't get great look, but it's still a nice video for rule discussion.