I play in an adult league in New York State. The league uses modified High School rules.

On one play in the game tonight, a player shot a layup and was fouled. The ball then hit the backboard, and then the ball was blocked, it was smaked back off of the backboard. The ball never cleared the height of the rim.

The call made was goaltending. Two points and a shot. The ref claimed that once the ball hit the backboard, the defender was not allowed to touch the ball.

I claimed that only in the NBA are you not allowed to touch a ball once it hits the backboard, and that in NCAA and HS goaltending was only illegal after the ball had reached its apex and when the shot has a chance of going in. The rules state nothing about the backboard.

Obviously the ball had not reached its apex because it was still below the rim. If it had reached its apex, then it was on its way down and had no chance of going in.

I own a copy of the NCAA rules but I can not find where I can get a copy of the HS rules. Please advise on what the correct call was and where I can find a copy of the rules.

Thanks,
Todd Lynch

tlynch, you did a very good job of explaining the situation yourself. You are correct. The play as you described it under NFHS and NCAA rules is legal and not goaltending.

I would only add that you were also correct that it is GT in the NBA. I don't know about FIBA.

If you are looking for a Fed Rulebook you need to order it from their website http://www.nfhs.org. They don't allow it to be published online. NCAA rules are available on their website.

Chuck, the FIBA rule is the same as the NBA rule.

MTD, Sr.