A fellow official had a game situation that I thought I would throw out to everyone. Looking for NFHS rules. Offense has the ball in the front court and they're bounce passing it back and forth from one corner to the other, near the division line. As one offensive player passes the ball it's bouncing in the back court and into the hands of the other offensive player, who are both in the front court. Would this be considered a back court violation?

If the offensive player touched the ball while it is in the backcourt, then its a backcourt violation.

That's not the best way to word it. The rule is Team A can't be both the last to touch before it went into backcourt, and the first to touch after it was in the backcourt. So if A1 is in front court, and bounces the ball along the division line, and it hits the floor in the back court, A1 was the last person to touch before it went into backcourt. Now if A2 is the next to touch and the ball hasn't bounced back in the frontcourt, even if A2's feet are in frontcourt, that's BC. If I'm reading this play correctly, I've got a BC violation.

Juulie,
The only addition I would make would be to say it doesn't matter if the ball bounces back into the front court before being touched by A2. Once they've established FC status and team control, and the ball hits the backcourt (assuming A1 is last to touch before it goes to the backcourt), it will be a violation for A to be the first to touch the ball; even if it bounces all the way to the FC basket.
this play is a violation.

Really? Wow. I wonder how to explain that to the coach.

It's me staying up tonight after a great game. What a blast. It just doesn't get much better than this, I'll tell ya. First in the league against second in the league, both undefeated. The band, the cheerleaders, the crowds, coaches both intent on winning. A great partner, and we worked well together, just plain fun from start to finish.

Details Juulie....which league/teams?

This is an interesting interpretation I have not heard before. I am not sure I agree with that. How can you have a back court violation by touching a ball with front court status? Is there some case play of which I am unaware? Please cite your justification for this interp. Thanks.

1- Team control by Team A.
2- Ball has attained FC status.
3- Team A was the last to touch the ball before it went into the BC.
4- Team A was the first to touch the ball after it went into the BC.

Violation.

Rule 9-9-1 is the pertinent rule. Last touched by A in the front court--then first touched by an A player after the ball had gone into the backcourt. There's no stipulation in this rule saying that the ball has to stay in the backcourt--just go into the backcourt.

Doesn't the ball regain front court status once it touches the floor in the front court?

that would be like the same scenario of having established fc, and while dribbling the ball, standing on fc and dribbling the ball on the bc side, same violation.

I agree that is literally what the rule states. But at the same time, I can read the rule and say the writers assume the ball has BC status when touched. I guess I would like the rule writers to clarify what they really meant. I realize what the rule says, but to me it makes no logical sense to have a BC violation on a ball with FC status when touched by the team with team control. Any way we can ask the Big Wigs for an interp?

My understanding is that the intent of this rule is to limit offense activity to half the court. By not calling this play a violation (if the ball bounces in the BC and then back to the FC), you are essentially granting team A a loophole and advantage not allowed by the rules.
Chances are, if this play happened, it would look so weird and awkward, no one would question the whistle. I wouldn't worry about having to explain it to a coach. It's the right call.

Yes

Cowapa league. Tillamook vs Scappoose. Tillamook is ranked 2nd in the state in 3A. Scappoose isn't in the top 10, but they're always in the "Others receiving votes" category. Scappoose got beat by around 10. They played pretty well, but their shooting was horrible. Another 10 percentage points in the shooting and we'd have had a real barn burner. Both teams had several great, clean steals. Several fast breaks. Scappoose was about 50% on their uncontested lay-ups, Tillamook about 90%. At one point we had Tillamook with 7 fouls and Scappoose with 1. No one complained. Once Scappoose started fouling to get the ball back, of course, it was all over, because even when they got the ball, they couldn't hit. There was some complaining from the girls a couple of times. Scappoose was fouling very hard, and Tillamook didn't like that. But all in all, we did a great job.

Partner was Joe Hutchins. I always like working with Joe, but last night he was great. He's lost some weight physically, and gained some weight in presence and control, and we did a fantastic job.

I've got another big one to look forward to on Monday. Central Catholic vs Centennial. CC is 1st in league, Centennial is 3rd, but they've beat second place once, and they've won their last 7 or 8 games, and they'll be the home team. There was an article in the paper on Wednesday about how important the game is, and it's going to be a complete blast. After that...

SECTION 9 BACKCOURT
A player shall not…
ART. 1 . . . Be the first to touch a ball after it has been in team control in the frontcourt, if he/she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt.
ART. 2 . . . While in team control in its backcourt, cause the ball to go from backcourt to frontcourt and return to backcourt, without the ball touching a player in the frontcourt, and be the first to touch it in the backcourt.

Furthermore:
ART. 3 . . . A player from the team not in control (defensive player or during a jump ball or throw-in) may legally jump from his/her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or backcourt.
PENALTY: (Section 9) The ball is dead when the violation occurs and is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in from the designated out-of-bounds spot nearest the violation.

Thanks for helping me on some future obscure NFHS exam question, but I wouldn't make this call in a million years. Not that I'll ever have to.

Actually, I had a call very much like this. Team A has the ball in their front court. B1 knocks the ball away from A1 towards the division line. A1 dives after the ball. The ball takes a bounce in the front court, A1 (who is lying on the floor entirely in the front court) gets her hand on the ball and bounces it once---in her back court.

A1 first touches the ball---OK.
Ball bounces---OK.
A1 touches the ball again---Tweet!

No problem with this one. What about the one cited earlier where A1 touches it, it bounces in bc, then bounces in fc, then A1 touches it again, or A2 touches it. Someone said that would still be a bc violation. Eh?

Absolutely! A in control. Ball in front court. A1 was the last to touch before it went to the backcourt. A2 was was the first to touch after it went to the backcourt. The ball says nothing about where the touches are made or what happens between the touches.

Yes, the ball again gains FC status. However, that is irrelevant. All the rule mentions is who touches it relative to when it it transistions to the backcourt. It makes no distintion about where it is touched or the status of the ball other than that the ball had to have FC status at some point prior to it going to the backcourt.