I made a call the other day that I am not sure about. A1 was advancing the ball down the right side of the court. While A1 was still in the backcourt B1 applied pressure. A1 broke through the pressure, made it to his frontcourt and B1 retreated to key area. A1 dribbled across court when B1 and B2 applied pressure causing A1's foot to cross to the backcourt, but the ball never came close to crossing over to backcout.

The coaches screamed backcourt, but I never made that call. At the time-out I explained the the ball too had to cross the line. What is the call?

[Edited by bounty12 on Jan 9th, 2004 at 08:42 AM]

If A1 continued to dribble, you are correct. However, if A1 picks up his dribble and his foot goes into the backcourt, then it is a BC violation.

Once the player has established himself in the frontcourt, then if any part of the player or the ball touches the backcourt, it's a violation (unless the defense touches the ball before it goes into the backcourt, but that didn't happen in your case). I'm not exactly sure from your description, but it sounds like a violation to me.

By your wording, bc Violation. You said A1 made to his fc. If A1 did not have both feet and the ball in the fc then he had bc status. If he had fc status, then bc Violation.

Your post accounts for the ball, "the ball did not come close to crossing over to bc". And it accounts for one foot, "causing A1's foot to cross to the bc".
Where was his other foot? If it was in the fc, bc violation, if it was in the bc, then no bc violation.

bounty12,
Consider a similar scenario near the sideline with the dribbler stepping OOB, but the "ball never came close to crossing over to" out-of-bounds.

Look up Definitions:
<LI> Ball location
<LI> Player location

mick

I agree with Chuck. Does not matter where the ball or what feet are where. If both feet and the ball have been established in the front court any of them touch the back court then it is a violation regardless of the position of the other two or if he is dribbling. Lets not make this call harder than it is.

[Edited by SteveF on Jan 9th, 2004 at 09:29 AM]

Not true, Jay. Once both feet are in the FC and the ball is bouncing in the FC, it's a violation if the player or the ball goes into the BC.

I thought that's what I said?

I guess I misread. It appeared that you said unless if he continued to dribble, it wouldn't be BC if he stepped on the line. My bad.

I read it the same way, ... some of the words were missing but the thought was there. :)

Thanks for all of your help. You have cleared it up for me.