JR, you're describing <em>control</em> which is not entire the same as <em>possession</em>.

A ball which is team control is also in their possession but a team can have possession without team control...during a throwin, during the dead ball which precedes a throwin.

Thank you Mr. Rust, I am glad I wasn't the only one seeing that.

Good, now quote me a rule that states that possession is the ability to pass, shoot or dribble the ball, as you stated above.

Rule 4-3 says that alternating possession is set when the ball is given to or placed at the control of a FT shooter or a player throwing the ball in. Please let me know how you can shoot or dribble the ball on a throw-in, or pass the ball on a free throw.

Also see Camron's quote-"A team can have possession without team control- ...pass... throw-in"

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Dec 19th, 2004 at 04:32 PM]

Agree. That was my point. You don't have the ability to pass, dribble or shoot during a throw-in possession, or during other possessions like free throws either. I probably coulda been clearer, but HotLinks statement above is incorrect.

Why are we talking about possession? Who cares about possession? This is a question about a backcourt violation; possession is completely irrelevant to the issue. In order to know whether the original sitch is legal or not, we need to know if there was team control.

Hotlink could be right or wrong; I don't know. But I don't care, either. It's irrelevant. Was there team control when the ball went to the backcourt or not? That's the only relevant question.