I am interested in the rule pertaining to High School Basket ball in KY. What exactly constitutes a jump ball? My non officiating mind always thought of it as 2 people struggling for a ball for a few seconds, with no one gaining control. It seems that over the last few years, officials are starting to call jump balls when two opposing players touch the ball at the same time for 2/10 of a second. This just seems to be entirely too quick to me, but I do not know the rules either. Can anyone clear this up for me? Thanks!

The rule is to call a HELD ball when neither player can get control without excessive roughness. That's not hte exact wording, but it's close.

There's at least one other situation where you get a held ball, and that's when a player goes up for a shot and the defender is able to keep him from getting the shot off and the shooter returns to the ground with the ball.

But I think you're right. Many officials do put an end to the struggle pretty quickly. The main reason is that it can become a very heated situation very quickly. The only punch I've ever had thrown in a game was part of a held ball. So given the choice between calling a jump too quickly and having to sort out a "situation," I'll err on the side of caution. :)

Juulie:

It seems to me that you are being too technical with this person by telling him that the correct term is "held" ball.

Keep

MTD, Sr.

RULE 4, SECTION 25 HELD BALL
A held ball occurs when:
ART. 1 . . . Opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness.
ART. 2 . . . An opponent places his/her hand(s) on the ball and prevents an airborne player from throwing the ball or releasing it on a try.


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And I'll concur that many officials do make this determination too quickly or in situations when the ball truly is not "held".

Well, you know me, MTD. I always get the trophy for being anal-retentive about vocabulary.

Oops. This is just extraneous humor and doesn't contribute to anyone's basketball knowledge. Sorry.

HELD ball
HELD ball
HELD ball
HELD ball
HELD ball


Just trying to educated the populice (and that includes officials.)

sorry for the digression from strict rules discussion

populAce
populAce
populAce
populAce

Just trying to educatE educatE educatE the populAce (and that includes officials.) :D

I did not know, held ball or jump ball. On the one play I had questioned the jump ball call as being too quick, the refree was signalling to the scorer by placing both thumbs straight up toward to ceiling.

Thanks for the question Remofire. That was a good question and area that is called inconsistantly from region to region, and even on some occasions, from referee to referee.

And just for the record. The rule does say "held ball," however the the "Official NFHS Basketball Signals" calls it a "jump/held ball"...but just for those who want to get technical.

The rule does call it a held ball. Of course, historically a held ball resulted in a jump ball. And many people still call it a jump even today. Don't let the pedants put you off. Call it a jump ball or held ball, we know what you mean.

BTW, I had a held ball resulting in a jump ball in a game this morning. What was the name of that thread? Welcome back to the 70's.

And Now for Something Completely Different.
 

Lets get back to the question at hand. And that is when to put air in the whistle for a held ball.

There are two schools of thought:

School of Thought #1) Put air in the whistle before a held ball actually occurs. The illogic being that by stopping play early the chance of rough play is reduced.

School of Thought #2 (and the correct one I might add): Put air in the whistle after a held ball actually occurs. This school of thought recurs the covering official to actually use good judgement and call a foul if one occurs before a held ball occurs.

I have always taught my officiating students that when an official thinks it is time to put air in the whistle for a held ball, he should wait for just one more second, then either an held ball will occur and a player will actually gain control of the ball because the circumstances for a held ball really weren't there.

MTD, Sr.