Folks, I've been confused over a call that was made in a game last week.

Player A dribble drives toward the basket. He comes to a stop with the "one-two" step. His left foot is the lead foot, his right foot the back foot and also the pivot. He proceeds to pivot on his right foot looking for a way to get free. He sees an opening and jumps off of his front foot (left), lifting the pivot foot off the floor and shoots. Both feet were in the air when he shot, but he jumped off of his non pivot foot. Travelling was called. I was not sure if the ref made the right call. I don't understand what is different in this scenario than just any player dribbling and jumping off the same foot the the traditional "one-two" motion. Please tell me the correct way to call this play.

Thanks,
Matt

The key to determining a travel is establishing which foot is the pivot foot.

"He proceeds to pivot on his right foot . . . He . . . jumps off of his front foot (left), lifting the pivot foot off the floor and shoots."

In your scenario, the right foot is the pivot and the player lifts it to shoot. Rule 4-43-3-a says, "The pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, before the ball is relased on a pass or try for goal."

If your description is correct, no travel.

[This message has been edited by Todd (Mike) Mullen (edited December 04, 1999).]

Yeah ... agreeing here that that Ref kicked the call. You will see a lot of calls like that espcially when a dribbler is moving down the floor and suddenly stops, "sticks" his pivot, and takes 2 or 3 steps with his free foot.
We are taught to never to "guess" a travel, just because it looked funny.
mick

In plain language Matt, a player may lift his pivot foot to shoot or pas as long as the ball is released before the pivot foot returns to the floor. On a dribble however, the ball must leave his hand to start the dribble before the pivot foot leaves the floor.

This is not a travel.
It would be if the player returned to the floor with the ball.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mlancaster on 12-09-1999 11:26 PM
This is not a travel.
It would be if the player returned to the floor with the ball.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Your right! Absolutely correct!

[This message has been edited by SEAN (edited December 10, 1999).]

Let me get this correct here. His pivot foot is his right foot and he shoots jumping off his non pivot(left) foot. I know most everyone uses the left foot to jump off of. If the player just jumps off this left foot straight up and shoots is not traveling. But can he jump to his left foot in a forward motion with the right foot going forward always in the air and shoot. I am not an expert but in the second scenario, it sounds like that would be traveling. If this is truly not traveling, I have some great moves I can do in the next pick game I am in.

Rule 4-43-3 "...after coming to a stop and establishing a pivot foot:
a. one or both feet may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, before the ball is released on a pass or a try for a goal.
b. neither foot may be lifted before the ball is released, to start a dribble."
The key is establishing a pivot foot per rule 4-43, once that is done the pivot may be lifted but not retruned to the floor if you still have the ball. In your case, the right foot is the pivot foot, you may step with the left foot, lift the right foot (pivot) and release the ball on a pass or shoot before the right foot touches the floor. And that is not traveling. Be aware some officials may call traveling but under the perscribed limits above, you have a legal play.

Jerry