Ok! Enough's enough! Here's the BC or Not Answers!

[BktBallRef]

Play #1 - A1 is straddling the division line, with his right foot in the FC and his left foot in the BC. He receives a pass from A2 who is still in the BC. A1 catches the pass but them fumbles it to the floor in the FC. He bends over and picks the ball up while still straddling the division line. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer: Yes, this is a backcourt violation. To determine if this is a backcourt violation, we must determine if all four criteria have been met.
1- Team A must have team control. Yes, Team A is in control. Although there is no player control during a fumble, team control exists until the ball becomes dead or B possesses it.
2- The ball must have attained front court status. Yes, when the ball hit the floor in the FC, FC status was attained. Remember that a fumble is not a dribble, so the "three points" rule does not apply.
3- A player from team A must be the last player to touch the ball before it enters the backcourt. Yes, A1 touched the ball last before it went into the BC.
4- A player from team A must be the first player to touch the ball after it enters the backcourt. Yes, A1 touched the ball while standing in the BC

Play #2 - A1 is holding the ball and straddling the division line. Her left foot is in the BC and her right foot is in the FC. She has not established a pivot foot.
A) A1 lifts her left foot, which is in the BC, establishing he right foot as her pivot foot. She then puts her left foot back down in the BC. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?
B) A1 lifts her right foot, which is in the FC, establishing he left foot as her pivot foot. She then puts her right foot down in the BC. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer - In A) the player has committed a BC violation. Since the pivot foot is in the FC, when the left foot is lifted, the player is now standing completely in the FC. If she puts her foot back down in the BC, it's a violation.

Just the opposite is true in B). Since the pivot foot is in the BC, she can pick up and move the right foot and put it down in either court legally. But the 10-second count continues.

Play #3 - A1 jumps from his frontcourt and catches an inbounds pass.
A) He lands in the backcourt. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?
B) He passes the ball to A2 who is standing in the backcourt before he lands. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer- In A), this is a legal play. NF 9-9 Exception 1 The exception posted above allows a player to leave the FC, catch the ball and then land with one or both feet in the BC. In B), this play is a BC violation. When A1 catches the ball, he has FC status, just as in A). But since he does not land in the BC, but instead passes it to a teammate in the BC, we have a violation.

Play #4 - A1 catches the throw-in pass with one foot on the floor in A's frontcourt and the other foot not touching the floor. The non-pivot foot then comes down in A's backcourt. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer - When A1 caught the ball with a foot on the floor in the FC he established FC status. When the other foot came down in the BC, we have a violation. Exception 1 only applies to a ball caught while the player is airborne.

Play #5 - A1 is dribbling the ball in his BC, pushing the ball up the floor. He passes the ball toward A2 in the FC. But the ball hits the center official and bounces back into the BC where A1 retrieves it. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer - This is a BC violation. 1) Team A had team control. 2) The ball attained FC status when it hit the official who was in the FC. 3) A1 threw the ball into the FC, so he was the last player to touch it before it left the FC. 4) A1 was the first player to touch the ball in BC.

Play #6 - A1 is straddling the division line, with his right foot in the FC and his left foot in the BC. He receives a pass from A2 who is still in the BC. A1 catches the pass but them fumbles it to the floor in the FC. He bends over and instead of picking the ball up, begins a dribble while still straddling the division line. Is this a backcourt violation? Why or why not?

Answer - This isn't a violation. After A2 fumbled, dropped the ball, he started a dribble. Since he started a dribble instead of picking the ball up, the "three points rule" applies. You can find this play on the NF website on the basketball rules page.

Play #7 - During a jump ball, A1 taps the ball. A2 takes off from Team A's frontcourt and catches the ball while in the air. A2 lands with one foot in backcourt and one in the frontcourt. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer - Team control IS established when A2 catches the ball. But 9-9 Exception 1 allows him to leap from the FC and land in the BC. A2 can legally land in the BC but he cannot pass the ball to a teammate in the BC. That's why it's important to understand that A2's catch does establish team control.

Play #8 - A1 is dribbling near the division line. B1 bats the ball away. The ball hits B1's leg, and then hits A1's leg before going into the BC. A2 is the first player to the ball in the BC. Is this a violation? Why or why not?

Answer - This is a violation by A1. Although many fans and coaches don't understand it, A still has team control, is the last to touch the ball before it goes into the BC, and the first to touch it in the BC. Don't penalize a good defensive play by not calling this a violation!

Play #9 - During a jump ball, A1 taps the ball. A2 takes off from Team A's frontcourt and catches the ball while in the air. While still in the air, A2 passes the ball to A3, who is in the backcourt. Is this a BC violation? Why or why not?

Answer - This is a violation. When A2 caught the ball, he had FC status. By exception, he could land in the BC. But he cannot pass the ball to a teammate in BC.

Play #10 - B1 jumps from her frontcourt and while in the air, secures control of the ball. B1's momentum is such that she lands with the first foot clearly in her frontcourt. B1's other foot then comes down in B's backcourt after the first foot was down in the frontcourt. Is this a violation? Why or why not?

Answer - The rule allows a defender intercepting a pass, leaving the floor in the FC and landing in the BC. It also allows for a normal landing, no matter which foot comes down first. In this play, we would not have a BC violation.

[Edited by BktBallRef on Jan 8th, 2001 at 11:38 PM]

[mick]

Tony,
You remain a gentleman, a scholar and a mentor.
mick

[Indy_Ref]

It's amazing how tricky a "simple" call like the BCV can be. Fans & coaches think it is one of the easiest calls to make, when in my opinion, it isn't. I will study the ones I missed...'cause I don't want to be missin' 'em in the game!

As a matter of fact, I'm printing this out for future reference!

[Edited by Indy_Ref on Jan 9th, 2001 at 09:32 AM]

[rainmaker]

Bkballref-

Did you make this all up? Wow, thanks a lot. Us newbies are gazing at you in admiration and appreciation. Thanks!!

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by rainmaker
Bkballref-

Did you make this all up? Wow, thanks a lot. Us newbies are gazing at you in admiration and appreciation. Thanks!!

I can't honestly remember if I actually wrote any of them. Some are case book plays. You have to be careful in that there's always somebody out there smarter than you, who will catch it if you make a mistake. Just to understand each one and be ready to make the call is the most important thing!

[Indy_Ref]

about BCV's, I actually blew one last night!! A1 taking ball out in the FC under her basket. She throws the ball out way above the 3-point line to A2. The ball tips off of A2 and goes to the BC. For some IDIOTIC reason, I whistle BCV on team A when A2 recovers the ball in the BC!

Why?? Because I forgot that during a throw in, there is NO team possession until a player obtains possession!! Geesh, and I thought I was an absolute pro at the call after all the reading & studying of the BCV test that you posted!!!!!!!!!! Criminy! Humbled again!!!

Newbies, don't be like Indy_Ref!! Don't blow this one!!!

[Hawks Coach]

My first post on this site related to BC violations. Although I learned enough there and on subsequent discussions to get most of the quiz right, there are always those special cases. I think that what I know, and what most people on this board could easily get right, cover 95%+ of all BC calls, but we can always learn more. I also find that dealing with the special situations helps me with the basics of the rule, because the special situations usually derive directly from the basics and illustrate their intent.

I do wonder about the reasoning on the distinction between fumble catch and fumble dribble. I am not questioning BktBallRef's case, which no doubt exists, but merely the reasoning behind it. If the ball is lobbed and bounces front court before a player straddling the line catches it, it is a BC because it achieved FC status. A fumble represents a loss of player control and should be considered to immediately have achieved FC status if it is fumbled so that it bounces FC. Shouldn't matter if the subsequent action that establishes player control is a fumble or a dribble. IMO, the special fumble-dribble case seems not to be in line with the basics of the rule, but rather a device to save the ref from having to make the judgment call as to whether a player had a sloppy start to a dribble or a fumble.

BktBallRef - how do you think you would apply this case if the ball was tipped by one hand, lands FC, then a line- straddling player dribbles it? Is that a fumble, or is the ball already FC and as soon as the dribble commences it is BC?

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach
BktBallRef - how do you think you would apply this case if the ball was tipped by one hand, lands FC, then a line- straddling player dribbles it? Is that a fumble, or is the ball already FC and as soon as the dribble commences it is BC?

Sorry coach, I didn't see it!

I'm not sure about the particular play. It's listed on the NF's website. Some good points were made about fumbles and starting a dribble.

It compared two different plays. The NF play says, "Same situation as above, except A1 begins a dribble immediately upon fumbling the ball and retreats to his/her backcourt to avoid a defender." Bob Jenkins suggested that perhaps the NF was saying that the player started the dribble prior to the ball hitting the floor. I think that's a possibility. The plays, #1 and #6, are supposed to be identical with the exception. But like some many things with the NF, the play is not really clear as to whether the ball did or did not hit the floor. As Bob said, don't heard your breth waiting for a clarification. Until they do, I've got a legal play.