We had a play in a varsity boy's playoff game tonight that our crew discussed after the game (3 person crew)and couldn't agree on.
Offensive player is driving baseline (dribbling the ball), he elevates off the floor and has no where to go. Before coming to the floor, he seems to realize he is going to violate, so he drops the ball to the floor. All of the players, thinking perhaps that he has violated, simply stop. The ball hits the floor and no one attempts to pick it up. After a second or two the same offensive player picks up the ball and attempts a shot at the basket.
The official who was on the play told us in the postgame that she felt that it was a legal play, so she let play continue. Her opinion was that the offensive player could indeed pick up the ball after it hit the floor - even if it was untouched by another player.
Myself and the 3rd official felt that from the position the offensive player occupied (in air - dribble used) that he could legally only pass or shoot - and we thought he had dribbled again by dropping the ball to the floor and picking it up (thus double dribbling).
We agreed that a player could go get his own shot if it didn't hit anything, but that this was a dribble or a pass - not a shot .
Any help on this would be appreciated.
Was it double dribble, traveling, or legal play?

You are correct. It was a double or illegal dribble.

From the way I interpret the rule, if the player had used his dribble, picked the ball up for the 2 step continuation, and then, by his or her own free will dropped the ball (without it being slapped out by a defender), the proper call should have been double dribble.

Had a similar situation
 

What if the pick up the ball after dribbling it, drop it BY ACCIDENT (ie a fumble) and pick it back up. Both hands touched the ball during the fumble. I called illegal dribble. Felt confident about it, but funny somebody else should bring it up! Is it still a violation if its a fumble?

Re: Had a similar situation
 

No illegal dribble if it's a fumble. No player control during the fumble.

It's a traveling violation as soon as the player touched the ball after dropping it. NFHS case book play 4.44.3SitB is almost the exact same play.

I'd call double dribble on the play above because the player had already dribbled. I would go with the travel as backed by the casebook play JR cited if the player had not yet used his dribble.

Either way it was a violation and your partner was not correct to allow the game to continue.

Plays like that are easy......Tweet....3 Seconds! Whenever, you're exposed to intellectual challenges like that, I find 3 Seconds is the universal solvent.

The following exchange took place at an association meeting regarding handling guys camped in the paint:

DISCUSSION LEADER: Situation: A1 is down in the low post, in the key, for an excessive period of time, and you have warned him previously and shooed him out of there a couple of times. He does it again, and then the ball is passed down into him and he spins toward the basket, to attempt a layup. How do you handle the situation?

OFFICIAL: I blow my whistle as he makes his spin move, and call a travel.

DL: I didn't say he travelled, and he didn't travel.

OFFICAL: I still call a travel.

DL: Why?

OFFICIAL: Cause the coach never questions the travelling call, but they always ride your @$$ for a 3 second call.

Ha! Ha! I like the way that Ref thinks.

If you don't call 3sec. by the time he receives the pass, and he starts his attempt then doesn't the count end sense he is attempting a shoot?