Here you go:

Player A has the ball near the sidelines, either dribbling or holding it. Player B, on defense, gets a hand on the ball, forcing Player A to lose control and the ball goes out of bounds. Player A is the last to touch the ball.

I constantly see this called as Player A's team retaining possesion, something vague about Player B causing the loss of control... Usually it's when the ball skims off the offensive players hand.

Seems pretty cut and dried to me — last person touching it, it's out on him.

Correct?

Thanks in advance...

The secret .
 

1st off, had to see it, but: <LI>If the ball is not hit cleanly by the defense and there wasn't enough for a foul, give it back.<LI>If three hands are on the ball (2 offense; 1 defense) and defensive hand caused the ball to move, give it back.<LI>If the ball *clearly* bounces off the offensive hand(s) instead of coming out cleanly, take it away.<LI>If one of the teams is ahead by 40 points....

mick :cool:

Really?

Your second point is closest to the play I'm talking about:

• If three hands are on the ball (2 offense; 1 defense) and defensive hand caused the ball to move, give it back.

So, even though technically the offensive player is the last to touch it, he gets to keep it? Interesting... Is this an actual rule, or an interpretation?

Guess I've been getting mad for nothing...

Thanks!

You are describing TWO different plays.

In one, a player dribbling the ball, defender somehow touches it, dribbler loses control, is last to touch it, ball goes out.

In the other, player is holding ball, defender slaps it, ball goes out of bounds.

In the first instance, yes it is simple, defense should get the ball, provided there is no foul. Trouble is, 99% of the time there is a foul. But since officials generally like to call as few fouls as possible, they'll sometimes award the ball back to the offense so as to not reward the defense for illegal contact.

In the second case, I ask this....whose contact with the ball caused the ball to go out of bounds?

Not correct, as you've described it.

7-2-1 "The ball is caused to go out of bounds by the last player in bounds to touch it or be touched by it..."

Rebounder A1 holds the ball over his head. B1 contacts A1's hands (hand is part of the ball, etc), causing the ball to go out of bounds. You could argue A1 was the last to touch the ball, but B1 "caused" it to go out of bounds...Is this correct interpretation?

FrankHtown,
That works for me.
Similarly, A1 grabs a rebound and B1 swats it out of A1's "BIG HANDS",... give it back.
Yes, I know that's not exactly the rule, but it seems to me to be within the spirit of the rule. :cool:
mick