I recently had another official ask me about this rather bizarre incident. On a desperation try for goal from 3/4 court, the offensive player heaved the ball towards her basket only to have the ball bounce once and enter the basket from above.

The rule book states that the try for goal ends when the ball touches the floor, so what happens when the ball goes through the hoop? Is it still in play? If not, who gets the ball and where assuming there is still time left on the clock? Or, would you count the hoop? Thanks in advance for the advice.

[Edited by Pirate on Nov 14th, 2000 at 10:37 PM]

As long as there is time on the clock when the ball enters the basket, you would count it as a two point basket.

BktBallRef, how would you interpret rule 4-40-4 then? It states that the try ends when the throw is successful, or when it is certain the throw is unsuccessful, or WHEN THE BALL TOUCHES THE FLOOR (my question) or when the ball becomes dead.

Are you suggesting that the throw was successful and therefore the try is over? Just curious.

I didn't say that it was a try. I said you count the basket. That's why I said if there was time on the clock when the ball enters the basket, you would count it as a two points. If the horn sounded after the ball hit the floor but before the ball went into the basket, it would not count, because the try ended when it hit the floor.

Two points can be scored by means other than a try. For example:

1- A throw-in cannot score a basket but if it hits the rim and a defender knocks it off, we have BI and 2 points. But we didn't have a try.

2- If B shoots the ball at A's basket and it goes in, then we have two points. But we didn't have a try.

Read 5-1-1 and 5.1.1a. It says a goal is scored when a live ball, not a try or tap, enters the basket from above and remains in or passes through.

O.K., thanks for the clarification.