With all due respect, I don't find the backcourt rule confusing at all.

As someone else pointed out before on this board (and most likely better than I will) you need four things to happen to have a backcourt call:

1) Control by Team A;
2) Ball Achieves Frontcourt Status (which is where you seem to be hung up);
2) Last Touched by Team A (before going to backcourt); and
4) First Touched by Team A (in backcourt).

If the ball never achieves frontcourt status, there can be no backcourt.

"I prefer the FIBA rule, if you or any part of you touches the front with control of the ball you are in the front court. Very clear."

If you prefer to think of the rule in those "very clear" terms - then simply substitute the word "back" for "front" in your statement: If you or any part of you is touching the BACKcourt with control of the ball you are in the BACKcourt.

Once you (or any part of you) and the ball are no longer touching the backcourt, you now have frontcourt status.

Good Luck!

A1, in his backcourt, throws the ball to A2. With both feet on the floor, 1 in frontcourt and 1 in backcourt, he catches the ball. Is it backcourt when:
1) he lifts the foot in frontcourt and sets it down in backcourt?
2) he dribbles into backcourt?
3) he passes the ball to someone in backcourt?

I suppose what my question consists of is: when the player catches the ball while standing with one foot in front and the other in backcourt, has he established frontcourt possession?

None of the actions you describe are a violation. front court status has not been acquired unless both feet are there. If he were to pivot on his front court foot and then replant his non pivot in the backcourt - that would be a violation.

No in all 3. This is a very confusing rule, with the 3 point issue, both feet and the ball in the front court for front court status. We constantly get abuse for proper no calls from coaches players and fans for calling it properly.
I prefer the FIBA rule, if you or any part of you touches the front with control of the ball you are in the front court. Very clear.

[quote]Originally posted by Todd (Mike) Mullen on 12-12-1999 12:13 PM
<font color=red>As someone else pointed out before on this board (and most likely better than I will) you need four things to happen to have a backcourt call:

1) Control by Team A;
2) Ball Achieves Frontcourt Status (which is where you seem to be hung up);
2) Last Touched by Team A (before going to backcourt); and
4) First Touched by Team A (in backcourt).</font>

But there ARE confusing aspects to knowing when to apply these guidelines. For example:

A1 brings up ball from backcourt baseline and gets pressed so he throws to A2 who jumps from frontcourt to catch the ball and lands with both feet in backcourt.

In this case, the ball never really crossed the center line, but since A2 DID, and since he was airborne his position is where his feet last touched, therefore the ball's postion ALSO has frontcourt status since A2 is now in possession of the ball. Yet when he lands in the backcourt the ball has now gone over and back.

I'd call that confusing!

Paul

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Todd (Mike) Mullen on 12-12-1999 12:13 PM
With all due respect, I don't find the backcourt rule confusing at all.

As someone else pointed out before on this board (and most likely better than I will) you need four things to happen to have a backcourt call:

1) Control by Team A;
2) Ball Achieves Frontcourt Status (which is where you seem to be hung up);
2) Last Touched by Team A (before going to backcourt); and
4) First Touched by Team A (in backcourt).

If the ball never achieves frontcourt status, there can be no backcourt.

"I prefer the FIBA rule, if you or any part of you touches the front with control of the ball you are in the front court. Very clear."

If you prefer to think of the rule in those "very clear" terms - then simply substitute the word "back" for "front" in your statement: If you or any part of you is touching the BACKcourt with control of the ball you are in the BACKcourt.

Once you (or any part of you) and the ball are no longer touching the backcourt, you now have frontcourt status.

Good Luck!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What about when someone catches the pass in the air and lands with the 1st foot in frontcourt and the 2nd foot in backcourt? According to the casebook, this is backcourt and there is no 2 foot position in frontcourt. Is this the only exception to the rule?

Ralph
This is not an exception as the player is in the front court when he catches the ball and then takes it to the backcourt when his other foot comes to rest there.
The exceptions to the front/backcourt rule apply during a throw-in. It is then legal to catch the ball and carry it into the backcourt.
Also, the three point rule is onlyh in effect when dribbling the ball, i.e. two feet and the ball hitting the floor are the three items. If a player is holding the ball there is not a third point.
On another subject see my recent posting on disconcertion which I am posting now.
Bruce

What about when someone catches the pass in the air and lands with the 1st foot in frontcourt and the 2nd foot in backcourt

This is part of 9-9 Exception 1 & 2 which applies on a jump ball/throw-in or the defense stealing the ball. In these situations, a player may jump from his frontcourt, secure the ball and land in the backcourt w/o violating. The player is allowed to make a normal landing and it makes no difference if the first foot hits in the frontcourt or the backcourt. (Case 9.9D) When the second foot hit in the backcourt, both the player and the ball now have backcourt status and the player may retreat deeper into the backcourt if he wishes, though the 10 second count should have started.

However, if Team A passes the ball from the backcourt and it is secured by airborne A2 who leapt from the frontcourt, it'll be a violation the instant A2 touches the backcourt with the ball...

Keep asking questions until you have it down cold. When you're on the court you're not going to have the time to think this through...

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by b_silliman on 12-13-1999 02:09 PM
Ralph
This is not an exception as the player is in the front court when he catches the ball and then takes it to the backcourt when his other foot comes to rest there.
The exceptions to the front/backcourt rule apply during a throw-in. It is then legal to catch the ball and carry it into the backcourt.
Also, the three point rule is onlyh in effect when dribbling the ball, i.e. two feet and the ball hitting the floor are the three items. If a player is holding the ball there is not a third point.
On another subject see my recent posting on disconcertion which I am posting now.
Bruce<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bruce, I'd say it is an exception to what Todd said earlier. The player may have jumped from backcourt and caught the ball in the air and then landed with his first foot in front and the second foot in backcourt and never had both feet planted in frontcourt. Todd said that to have froncourt status, a player must have both feet in front. With that in mind, it does qualify as an exception to the rule and my question now is: are there any other exceptions to the rule---besides the throwin exceptions?

Ralph

[This message has been edited by Ralph Stubenthal (edited December 14, 1999).]

Bruce, I'd say it is an exception to what Todd said earlier. The player may have jumped from backcourt and caught the ball in the air and then landed with his first foot in front and the second foot in backcourt and never had both feet planted in frontcourt. Todd said that to have froncourt status, a player must have both feet in front. With that in mind, it does qualify as an exception to the rule and my question now is: are there any other exceptions to the rule---besides the throwin exceptions?

Ralph

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(Hmm... how do you quote on this board?)

Anyway, if Todd said that "two feet are required to be in front court", then he is wrong. All that is required is one foot (or other body part), and nothing in the backcourt (except for the dribbling exception).

So, if A2 leaps into the air from the backcourt to catch a pass from the backcourt and lands on one foot in the front court, the ball now is in the front court. If A2 puts his other foot down in the back court, it is a violation.

In the same scenario, but on a throw-in pass, there would be no violation. That's exception 1 to rule 9-9.

Hope that helps.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bob jenkins on 12-14-1999 04:37 PM
Todd said that to have froncourt status, a player must have both feet in front. . .

Anyway, if Todd said that "two feet are required to be in front court", then he is wrong.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just to clarify, if you check my post, I never said "two feet." What I said was that the second criteria is for the ball to have achieved frontcourt status - and, as you correctly point out, there is a difference.

BTW, I'm still trying to figure how to quote, too.

According to FIBA rules all these actions are a violation. Once you touch the front court with a ball in your hand you can't go back the backcourt or you cant pass the ball to someone at the backcourt.

If A1 crosses the half court line with both feet and the ball, then goes back and even touches the half court line it is 'BACKCOURT'
Violation.
Say A1 Passes to A2 and A2 stops right on the line.. one foot on each side.. he can pass either back or forward,or even with the line.., but like someone said up above.. A2 pivots and has both feet accross the line for even a second and puts the foot back on/accros the line it is a back court Violation

Dustin

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KSHSAA Soccer Official,
Newton Recreation Basketball Official

National Federation: Rule 4 Art. 1...A ball which is in contact with a player or with the court is in the backcourt if either the ball or the player(or players) is touching the backcourt.

I don't know anything apparently about FIBA because this NF rule clearly is in contradiction to what the gentleman said about 1 foot establishing frontcourt. Where ever FIBA is used is a different game to me.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ralph Stubenthal on 12-12-1999 10:35 AM
A1, in his backcourt, throws the ball to A2. With both feet on the floor, 1 in frontcourt and 1 in backcourt, he catches the ball. Is it backcourt when:
1) he lifts the foot in frontcourt and sets it down in backcourt?
2) he dribbles into backcourt?
3) he passes the ball to someone in backcourt?

I suppose what my question consists of is: when the player catches the ball while standing with one foot in front and the other in backcourt, has he established frontcourt possession? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Three things must reach the frontcourt before a player/team is considered to be in the frontcourt: the left foot, the right foot, and the ball. (NF rules here.) This makes all the rules clear except for the pass to A2 leaping into the backcourt. In this case, A2 is in the frontcourt when he/she secures the ball. The best analogy to this is a player leaping out of bounds to save the ball--he/she is considered to be inbounds until he/she touches out of bounds. Therefore, A2 is considered in the frontcourt until he/she touches the backcourt. Because A2 has the ball, both feet and the ball are considered to be in the frontcourt, and when the player lands, it's a backcourt violation. Blow the whistle and flap that arm back and forth.

Paul

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