As Rare As Hen's Teeth ...

[BillyMac]

I was just discussing this very rare play with Mike Goodwin.

A1 in their frontcourt is dribbling parallel to, and very near, the division line.

While the ball is not in contact with A1's hand, A1 steps on the division line.

A1 never is touching both the ball and the division line at the same time.

Ball never touches the division line or any other part of backcourt.

It’s not an interrupted dribble.

A1 has both feet in the frontcourt the next time he touches the ball.

Sounds like a backcourt violation because of:

9-3-1 Note: The dribbler has committed a violation if he/she steps on or outside a boundary, even though he/she is not touching the ball while he/she is out of bounds.

However:

4-9-1: Boundary lines of the court consist of end lines and sidelines.

The division line is not an end line, nor is it a sideline, and thus, it is not a boundary line.

No backcourt violation?

Most of us (including me) would probably still call this a backcourt violation.

What say you?