Double Dribble

[fredcamp]

I always thought anytime you put two hands on the ball and dribble it was a double dribble. Now you see players getting rebounds, dribbling with two hands, then shooting. The NCAA rule book defines double dribbling as: If a player stops his dribble, then dribbles again it is a violation. That reads as if two handed dribbling is allowed as long as you don't pick up the ball. What is the correct ruling? Surely you can't dribble with two hands can you?

Thanks for any help.

[Ref Daddy]

ART. 4 . . . The dribble ends when:

a. The dribbler catches or causes the ball to come to rest in one or both hands.
b. The dribbler palms/carries the ball by allowing it to come to rest in one or both hands.
c. The dribbler simultaneously touches the ball with both hands.

Art 4 C

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Ref Daddy
ART. 4 . . . The dribble ends when:

a. The dribbler catches or causes the ball to come to rest in one or both hands.
b. The dribbler palms/carries the ball by allowing it to come to rest in one or both hands.
c. The dribbler simultaneously touches the ball with both hands.

Art 4 C

In terms of practicality, the dribble ends when it is touched by both hands simultaneously, even if they are both on top, and also if both hands touch singly before as the ball travels to the floor.

It's always legal for a player to BEGIN a dribble with two hands. If she grabs a rebound with two hands (like she's supposed to!), she can then use two hands to maneuver the ball into position to be dribbled, but she must release the ball to the dribble before she lifts her pivot foot from the ground.

So if she's in the air when she catches the rebound (two hands, remember), she could bring the ball to her body, put one foor forward to the floor, then the other foot, meantime controlling the ball with two hands out away from a defender, then release the ball then lift her pivot foot (first foot that landed on the floor). Now she can no longer use two hands without ending her dribble.

And of course, the same is true at the other end of a dribble. Driving down the lane, a player can
...gather the ball with both feet millimiters off the floor (fans think this is a step) and secure it with both hands.
...then put either foot down, although if she's driving it'll generally be the opposite foot
.... and then the other foot
...meantime maneuvering the ball with two hands past the outstretched arms of defenders who are trying to stop the ball
...and then shoot (or pass, if necessary).

An athletic player with plenty experience can carry the ball with two hands 15 to 20 feet legally if her stride is long and confident.

[Rich]

Originally posted by fredcamp
I always thought anytime you put two hands on the ball and dribble it was a double dribble. Now you see players getting rebounds, dribbling with two hands, then shooting. The NCAA rule book defines double dribbling as: If a player stops his dribble, then dribbles again it is a violation. That reads as if two handed dribbling is allowed as long as you don't pick up the ball. What is the correct ruling? Surely you can't dribble with two hands can you?

Thanks for any help.

Well, you can put the ball down the FIRST time with two hands, but the second time you do that you've picked up the ball when you caught it off the floor.

If a player rebounds and puts the ball to the floor with two hands, he's started a dribble and then ended it when catching the ball off the floor. Perfectly legal.