I've got another ruling I don't agree with. This time it involves jump ball administration.

The referee is ready to toss the ball to start the game.
(a) A1 who was on the center restraining circle backs off;

The case book says this is legal. However, rule 6.3.7.b says that "Neither jumper shall leave the center restraining circle until the ball has been touched." Has not A1 violated?

(b) B1 moves onto the restraining circle into an unoccupied spot;

I agree with the case book. This is a violation. However, if B1 is the jumper for team B, shouldn't he/she have been in the restraining circle when the referee was ready to toss the ball up? I don't believe the ref should be "ready" if team B has not provided a jumper. Also, I'm a little confused regarding the reference to an "unoccupied spot". There should be only 2 people in the restraining circle, A1 and B1. An unoccupied spot leads me to believe that there was someone other player other than B1 that was going to take the jump ball and this player was in the circle at the time B1 entered. If so then I can understand why the ref was "ready to toss the ball" and why B1 moving onto the restraining circle was a violation.


(c) B2 moves off the circle and goes behind A2 and is within 3 feet of the circle;

The case book says this too is a violation because A2 moved to an occupied spot. However, once again, I don't believe the ref should have allowed more than 2 players on the restraining circle at the time of the jump. Also the case book says "It is a violation to move onto the circle as in (b), until the ball leaves the official's hand...". However, the rule book says in 6.3.5.a "Until the tossed ball is touched by one or both jumpers, nonjumpers shall not: A. Have either foot break the plane of the center restraining circle cylinder." So it seems to me that the statement "It is a violation to move onto the circle as in (b), until the ball leaves the official's hand..." is wrong. It should read "It is a violation to move onto the circle as in (b), until the ball is touched by either or both jumpers.".

(d) B3 moves off the circle about 5 feet and moves around behind A3 and A4 who are occupying space on the circle.

Why is A3 and A4 allowed to occupy space on the circle? I thought only A1 and B1 should be allowed in. The case book says that this is legal.

I'm confused. Help!

Thanks!
Randall

Randall, your confusion stems from the difference between "on the circle" and "in the circle". Only the jumpers are allowed in the circle. The non-jumpers may occupy spaces on the circle, with a couple provisos. Additionally, you can't assume that A1 and B1 are the jumpers.

When the casebook says A1 moves "off the circle", that means that A1 (a non-jumper) had a position within 3 feet of the jump circle and then backed up so that he was no longer within 3 feet of the restraining circle.

With that in mind, if you go back and re-read the cases, I think you'll agree with all of them. Hope that helps.

on the circle does not mean inside the circle with a1 and b1 (jumpers) it's talking about the ring around the jumpers!!!! think about it that way and then they all make sense...

Clarification
 

ChuckElias and jritchie

Thanks for your replies. I believe my confusion lies in terminology. With that in mind lets clear some things up.
Someone once said there's no such thing as stupid questions, only stupid answers. Well I'm going to put that to the test.

Question 1. The restraining circle is the 6 foot radius circle in the middle of the court. Correct?

Question 2. Is the jump circle that Chuck referred to the same as the restraining circle? If so then only the jumpers are allowed within the 6 ft radius. Correct?

Question 3. Is there an imaginary "circle" around the restraining circle that is 3 feet from the restraining circle?
Is this the circle that non-jumpers may move off of?

Thanks!
Randall

Re: Clarification
 

Thanks, that helps
 

jritchie,

Thanks! That clears it up a great deal. Is the 3 feet mentioned in the rule book? I can't seem to find it nor do I remember reading it.

Randall

Re: Thanks, that helps
 

NFHS rule 1-3-1- "Spaces for nonjumpers around the center restraining circle are 36 inches deep".

Now the lights are coming on!
 

Thanks JR. Didn't think to look in section 1. I should have because that's my favorite section, what with all of the dimensions and measurements! :-)



Thanks!
Randall

Re: Re: Clarification
 

Correction...that "little circle in teh center of the restraining circle" is no longer in the rules. What you was said was once correct but has been removed.

Previously, each jumper had to have at least one foot inside the 2' radius circle. Each jumper now must only be anywhere in his/her half of the circle (the 6' radius one).