A1 drives to the hoop and trys for a reverse lay-up but instead it goes halfway up the net.

This happened in a game this weekend and I wanted to know if this is violation and if so the rule #.

Does it have to go all the way through or just partially or is it only a violation if it goes through and then comes back down and scores a basket?

My understanding is that it has to pass completely through, to the point that the entire ball is above the rim.

So there is a spot throw-in on the end line awarded to the team opposite of the player that last touched the ball. Is this correct? Does anyone have a rule/case reference? Has this ever happened to anyone?

Yes.

It's rule 9-4. It's discussed in case 9.4. Note that the rule explicitly states that the ball must enter "and pass through" the basket from below.

I'm sure it has, otherwise it probably wouldn't be in the rulebook. I've never had it happen in one of my games, however.

The NCAA reference is 9-5.

Thanks for the rule reference, I will look it up when I get home.

I've seen this several times, and called it the same amount. :D

Next question: If the ball does go above the basket from below, but you are not sure who touched it last, do you still call it? And if you do, what is the call?

Chuck, you're barred from answering this. You read the case book play.

Just guessing: AP.

Guessed first. Then consulted Case Book. Oooo, I'm good!

You guys never cease to amaze me, or should I say the game of basketball never ceases to amaze me. I read cases and cases and cases and something like this still makes me think a little bit.

I'm going to say alternating possession, similar to not knowing who touched the ball going out of bounds.

Who said I read the case? I just changed the "-" to a "." :)

WEll, you're lucky then that there was a case play in the book. Not all the "-"s have a "."

We have discussed this before and JR has given his opinion that the bottom of the ball must clear the top of the ring for the violation to have occurred.
It seems to be a grey area though as it is unclear from the rules whether the ball must clear the net on its way up and out. The case book doesn't address this at all. Rule 9-4 states the ball must "enter and pass through the basket" and we know from 1-10-1 that the net is part of the basket. So when I first encountered this rule, I thought that if the ball didn't come entirely out of the net then it wasn't a violation. Now I am with JR, since according to 1-10-1 the net must be "suspended from beneath the ring." If the net is being pushed up above the level of the ring (10') by the ball or is caught around the rim, I am of the opinion that it shouldn't be considered part of the basket.