What rules apply to rolling the ball down the floor? I'm talking about never having picked up the ball. I saw this done by a gal who ran after a loose ball. By the time she got to it, it was rolling. She never picked it up, just "herded" it down the floor. It sounds like it wouldn't be good play, but she was short and scooted in between several defenders, bot the ball to the post, who got the basket. I wasn't working, but asked the guy that was , and he said, since she never began a dribble, it wasn't travelling or double dribble, and that it broke no rules. I've been looking through the book and can't find anything applicable either for or against. What do you experts have to offer?

The closest Casebook play I found was 4.43.5B, which refers to a player who is sliding along the ground with momentum..

This is definately a case for 2-3, in my opinion. It was a basketball game - not a soccer or field hockey match. By not having to dribble, the player was able to pick up a large advantage - both in terms of movement and surprise factor.

How is this any different from a tall player who taps the ball into the air 5 or 6 times to prevent an opponent from getting it but never holds it? The answer - It isn't any different and neither play is illegal. Dennis Rodman made a living doing this for several years.

I don't think you are going to find a rule that governs this in NF. However, you could be very creative and call this a travel if you wanted. Here's how. The definition of a pass allows you to roll the ball to a teammate. Rolling the ball to yourself, which is what happens if she pushes it, then runs after it and touches it, could be considered "passing to yourself", which most officials feel is a travel under a very broad interpretation of the travel rule.

OK, OK, I said you would have to be very creative to call this a travel.

Also - remember that there would be no player control during this, but there could very well be team control depending on the status of the ball before it became "loose" and how it became "loose".

Wasn't this discussed on McGriff's a couple of years ago? Didn't someone get a ruling from someone on the NFHS rules committee (I thought it was you, Tony asking Dick KNox)?

I seem to remember that this movement was considered "dribbling" -- so as long as it didnt' violate any of the dribbling rules, the move was legal.

I don't remember this one Bob, but we may have talked about it on McGriff. My memory isn't what it used to be! :(

Could be double dribble?
 

I would have to see it but.. after she tapped the ball the second or third time, I would say she gained countrol with a dribble and call the DD. Just as if it was passed to her and she controlled the wayward pass with a dribble, picked it up , then dribbled again. Like the rest of the posts it's kind of a stretch, but instinct can tell us when something doesn't look right! :)

I am trying to picture this, I would think this would be a pass to yourself. On the other hand, I think it would be poor defense if they allow the person to push the ball all the way to the post and make a basket.

AK ref SE

Re: Could be double dribble?
 

If it is a dribble, where do you get a double dribble, unless the tap is two handed? I could see a double dribble call if the player repeatedly taps the ball with two hands.

I think this is a loose ball situation, No control has been established. So..... Do you start a 10 second count in the backcourt? or would this be another Thread?

AK ref SE