legal or illegal

[xxssmen]

I had a debate with a fellow rec. league official about whether it is legal to be the first one to touch the ball after saving it from going out of bound.
I say it is legal as long as u establish ur self back on the court, he say no that its illegal a player who goes out of bound cannot be the first one to touch the ball.

Can u tell me where in the rule book I can find the answer to this debate?

[bossref]

Fed and NCAA

Legal to come back inbounds at approx. the same spot
they left the court, and must have "Something in and nothing out" to re-establish position on the court.
They do not have to have both feet inbounds.

[xxssmen]

where in the rule book can I find this?

[Nevadaref]

It is legal in NFHS, but NCAA has made a rule change this season which makes it a violation to leave the court under one's own volition and then be the first to touch the ball upon returning.

7.1.1 Situation D part (a) is the best source to prove that this action is legal in NFHS play.
7.1.1 Sit B + C also are good.

Here's the new NCAA rule:
BR-128
RULE 9-2/VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES
Section 4. Player Out of Bounds
Art. 1. A player who steps out of bounds under his/her own volition and then becomes the first player to touch the ball after returning to the playing court has committed a violation.
A.R. 11. Team A sets a double screen for A1, who, in attempting to come across the freethrow lane, is legally obstructed by offensive and defensive players so that A1 leaves the playing court under the basket, circles around, returns to the playing court and then is the first to receive the ball. RULING: A violation has been committed by A1 for leaving the playing court and then becomes the first player to touch the ball upon return.


Of course, the NCAA rule book still contains the following approved ruling, which is very similar to NFHS case book play 7.1.1 Situation B:

RULE 7 Out of Bounds and the Throw-in
Section 1. Out of Bounds—Player, Ball
A.R. 1. A1 blocks a pass near the end line. The ball falls to the floor in bounds but A1, who is off balance, falls outside the end line. A1 returns, secures control of the ball, and dribbles. RULING: Legal. A1 has not left the playing court voluntarily and was not in control of the ball when leaving the playing court. This situation is similar to one in which A1 makes a try from under the basket and momentum carries A1 off the playing court. The try is unsuccessful, and A1 comes onto the playing court and regains control of the ball.

[Edited by Nevadaref on Feb 3rd, 2005 at 06:00 AM]

[Lotto]

Just to be clear, the NCAA rule change was only the penalty for being the first to touch after voluntarily leaving the court. Up until this year, it was a technical foul.

Although Nevadaref says that this action is legal under NFHS rules, I had thought that it was a T there as well for leaving the court for an unauthorized reason. But I don't officiate under NFHS rules nor do I have a rulebook to check out the references he provides, so now I just don't know.

Note that if someone leaves the court unvoluntarily (momentum takes you out of bounds after a basketball play, contact causes you to step out of bounds, etc), there is no penalty.

I've always thought that the use of the term "establish" or "reestablish" leads to confusion. At any moment, a player is either inbounds or out of bounds. If the player is out of bounds, it is a violation to touch the ball. If inbounds, then play on.

[Nevadaref]

I never said that leaving the court for an unauthorized reason was legal under NFHS rules. That is a player technical foul according to 10-3-3.

I was responding to the original post which describes a player saving a ball from going OOB, but then going OOB himself, subsequently returning to the floor, and being the first player to touch the ball. There is no question that this play is legal under NFHS rules.

This play was also legal LAST YEAR in NCAA games, but I believe that the NCAA is calling this a violation this year. Although, I disagree with that interpretation. The rule change should have been clearer and only should apply to those situations which would have been a technical foul last season. They shouldn't be negating good plays, only those that confer an unfair advantage.

There is a bulletin on the NCAA website too on this change, but it is not helpful for the saving the ball example. Here's the link:
http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/baske...es_interp.html