Odd Situation ...

[BillyMac]

Zoochy and I have been emailing each other in regard to an odd situation.

And, of course, being from Missouri, Zoochy wants me to "show him".

A‐1’s throw‐in is caught by airborne A‐2 who is jumping from Team A’s backcourt to Team A’s frontcourt. A‐2 lands on their right foot in the frontcourt, then places their left foot on the court in the backcourt. The official rules a backcourt violation. Is the official correct?

A2 is not dribbling so the three point rule (two feet and the ball) doesn't come into play here.

The four elements for having a backcourt violation are: there must be team control (and initial player control when coming from a throwin); the ball must have achieved frontcourt status; the team in team control must be the last to touch the ball before it goes into the backcourt; that same team must be the first to touch after the ball has been in the backcourt.

9-9 Backcourt
ART. 1 . A player shall not be the first to touch the ball after it has been in team control in the frontcourt, if he/she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt.
ART. 2 . While in player and team control in its backcourt, a player shall not cause the ball to go from backcourt to frontcourt and return to backcourt, without the ball touching a player in the frontcourt, such that he/she or a teammate is the first to touch it in the backcourt.
ART. 3 . During a jump ball, throw-in or while on defense, a player may legally jump from his/her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or backcourt.

Remember, unlike most situations we discuss regarding a throwin and possible backcourt violations, A‐2 is jumping from Team A’s backcourt to Team A’s frontcourt (not frontcourt to backcourt)

When airborne A2 catches the ball he gains player control and thus team control, and since his last location (you are where you are until you get where you're going) before becoming airborne was in the backcourt he has backcourt status.

When A‐2, holding the ball, lands on their right foot in the frontcourt, both A2 and the ball (touching A2) gain frontcourt status.

Then A‐2, holding the ball, lands on their left foot on in the backcourt.

The exception does not say legally jump from their backcourt (only from their frontcourt).

Is this a backcourt violation?