Is it a throw-in violation for a players foot or feet to touch a boundary line but not touch the playing surface which I know is the inside of the line?
Since the inside of the line is inbounds is the line itself considered part of the out of bounds?
I can't seem to find this in the case book or rules.

Rule 4-9-2 The inside edges of the boundary lines define the inbounds and out-of-bounds areas.

It is not a violation unless the player making the throw-in touches an inbounds location.

I'm sure you've been to gyms where the "sideline" is about 3 feet wide. We allow the inbounder to step all over that "line" right? The logic is the same, even if the line is only two-inches wide.

Z

Thanks, I can't believe I did not find that.
My book is worn out from all the searching this year.
Since this is my first year, I have not been to many gyms to see the fat lines but know what you mean.
In fact, I asked the question because one of the games I did had a 4" wide line and not much room (less than the three foot minimum)beyond the endline. The kids were close all night to the line and then someone asked if stepping on the line was acceptable. Because of the short space on the endline, I should have given them the extra distance on the court for throw-in but the court was not marked with the broken line 3 ft from the endline. Next time I will get it right.

You can still back the D up about 3 feet and give the thrower a chance.

I had a coach ask me the exact same question in a pregame on Friday night. Evidently it was booted in a JV game earlier in the week.

I hope I understand your question...

Think of it this way...if a player is inbounds and steps on the line, you call that violation because the line is OUT OF BOUNDS, right? So logically taking it a step further, if a player, with out of bounds status steps on the line, which is considered OUT OF BOUNDS, that player is still out of bounds and has not violated, correct?

Thats how I understand it and thats what 4-9-2 says.
I still can't believe I did not find this before asking my question! Thanks again Z.

can a player inbounding the ball jump over the boundry line (without touching) before releasing the ball?

Yes. Legal throw-in.

It's different in FIBA. All lines are considered to be of zero width, so if inbounds and you touch the line, you have gone out of bounds. But if you are out of bounds and touch the line, you have touched the court, and thus violated. Same applies for all other lines on the court.

Better think again, JR. :D

:confused:

After a made or awarded basket - legal.

During a spot throw-in - illegal.

The thrower must remain on or over the throw-in spot or it's a violation. If he jumped across the boundary line, then he's no longer over the 3' spot that's OOB.

Say what?

Casebook play 7.6.2 sez that "it is permissible for the thrower to move backward or <b>forward</b> within the 3-foot-<b>wide</b> designated area without violating...". Casebook play 4.42.6 also mentions the designated spot as only requiring the thrower to keep any portion of his body on or over the 3-foot <b>width</b> of the designated spot.

There's no rule that I know of that says that the designated spot is limited to the boundary line at the front, as well as a set distance to the back, except that they can't climb the bleachers. There's nothing in rule 9-2 that's being violated that I'm aware of either. If I'm missing something, can you please point me to the rule that I'm missing?

So, do FIBA rules define the mandatory width of the lines? There are courts here in the states where the line is 4 feet or more wide on one side or another. I've reffed on courts where there isn't a "line" so much as there's a change in floor colors defining the playing court.

JR, the player can move forward or backwards over the designated-spot. But the designated-spot is OOB, not inbounds. Therefore, it does not extend across the boundary line. And yes, I have seen this in an interp on the NF site.

You're missing the point, OZ. Yes, the OOB line has zero width in NFHS, NCAA, and NBA, too. The line is the inside edge of the BOUNDARY LINE. If you have a 2 foot wide border around the court serving as a boundary line, the entire 2 feet area is OOB. But you can't step on the inside edge of the boundary line.

Rule 4-42-6 characterizes the throw-in spot as "three feet wide with no depth limitation . . ." and notes that "The thrower must keep one foot on or over the spot until the ball is released."

Rule 9-2-5 says " . . . The thrower shall not carry the ball directly onto the court"; that is, the thrower shall not touch the court inbounds while still possessing the ball. Thus the spot cannot be inbounds.

I think these rules entitle the thrower to break the plane of a boundary line, even to the extent leaping in the air with a foot extended over the inbounds area of the court; but, until the ball is released, the thrower must keep one foot either on or over the spot.

Yabut, it's still legal for the thrower to break the plane of the boundary line or move backwards to the stands. The only restriction to the thrower that I can see anywhere in the book concerns width, not depth.

I don't remember that particular interpretation being issued, TH. Usually the ones the NFHS posts on their site end up the next year in the case book.

MTD, you got anything in the attic on this one? It's a play you probably ain't ever gonna see- it's almost physically impossible- but I would like to know the definitive ruling.

Didn't we just have this discussion a couple of weeks ago?

Did we? Got a link to that thread?

So.....where do you stand on this one(in 40,000 words or less)?

I realise what you are saying, but FIBA is different. If there was a 2 foot wide boundary line in FIBA and you were out of bounds ready to throw the ball in - then the OUTSIDE edge of the line is the start of the court. However, if standing inbounds, then the INSIDE edge of the line is the start of OOB.

Wow. Forgive me but that's damn goofy.

Yeah it is kinda anti-intuitive, but once you grasp it, it is easy to referee. Basically a player touching a line is always in the section of the court that they don't want to be. In other words, a player shooting a free throw is considered to violate (and enter the key) by touching the line. Or when a player attempts a 3 pointer, if they touch the line it is only a 2 point attempt.

On inbounds if a defender touches the line while defending the inbound pass, then they have crossed the OOB line and a technical may be issued. But a player out of bounds comits a violation when they touch the line. So in this sitch the one line can be considered to be simulatenously in AND out of bounds :)

That's more than damn goofy. That's damn-damn-damn goofy.

Z