Are you sure it isn't?
Under NCAA rules, recovering a fumble is legal. If you think it was not a fumble (unintentional) and the player had already dribbled, then you have a double dribble violation.


As Nevadaref and BktballRef rightly pointed out, you can't commit a travelling violation if you are not holding the ball in your hand(s). Ever.

NCAA 4-66-5

Art. 5. After coming to a stop when neither foot can be the pivot foot:

a. One or both feet may be lifted, but may not be returned to the playing court, before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal;

b. Neither foot shall be lifted, before the ball is released, to start a dribble.

A.R. 39. Is it traveling when a player (a) falls to the playing court while holding the ball; or (b) gains control of the ball while on the playing court and then, because of momentum, rolls or slides, after which the player passes or starts a dribble before getting to his or her feet?

RULING: In (a), yes, because it is virtually impossible not to move the pivot foot when falling to the playing floor. In (b), no. The player may pass, shoot, start a dribble or call a timeout. Once the player has the ball and is no longer sliding, he or she may not roll over. When flat on his or her back, the player may sit up without violating. When the player puts the ball on the floor, then rises and is the first to touch the ball, it also is traveling. When a player rises to his or her feet while holding the ball, it is traveling. When a player falls to one knee while holding the ball, it is traveling if the pivot foot moves.

This new learning about American rules amazes me, indeed, but that's not the case we were talking about, is it?
Anyway, the player commits a traveling violation the moment he touches the ball, which does not wholly contradict what I was saying earlier (even if "touching" is not exactly the same as "holding").

1) Can you cite an NCAA rule or AR that will back up that statement?

2) Ever?:confused: DanRef just cited an NCAA rule that shows how a player can be called for traveling without holding the ball. The comparable NFHS cite is case book play 4.44.5SitB. In that case play, you can also have traveling without holding the ball, as the other case that I cited before- 4.44.3SitB- states also. Thart's 3 situations right out of the rule books showing situations where traveling can be called on a player for something that he did while <b>not</b> holding the ball.

"Section 66. Traveling
Art. 1. Traveling occurs when a player holding the ball moves a foot or both feet in any direction in excess of prescribed limits described in this Rule."
(by the way, why is "travelling" misspelt there? :D )

Sure, but it rather seems a quite specifical situation, an exception, so to speak. Maybe a rule that was introduced following some kind of strange play. Anyway, the player in that case has control of the ball. A player who fumbles does not.

In the case of a fumble, the only violation you can possibly call is a double dribble. (NCAA 9-7-1, but also see 4-29-2)

This may also be interesting (from NCAA rulebook):
"A.R. 38. A1 attempts to catch the ball while running. A1 fumbles the ball and succeeds in securing it before it strikes the playing court. A1 then begins a dribble, taking several steps between the time A1 first touched the ball until catching it. RULING: There has been no violation provided that A1 released the ball to start the dribble before lifting the pivot foot from the playing court after catching the ball."

NCAA rule 4-66- 4(b)-<b>TRAVELING</b> states "After coming to a stop and establishing a pivot foot, the pivot foot shall not be lifted before the ball is released to start a dribble". If a player does so, such as an airborne player who has dropped the ball after jumping, then that player has committed a <b>traveling</b> violation when he touches the ball again, <b>not</b> a double dribble violation as you stated in another post.

Both NCAA and NFHS rules are clear about an airborne player deliberately dropping the ball. What isn't as clear is whether that also applies to an airborne player that fumbles the ball and then subsequently recovers it.

The case play that you cited at the bottom of your last post isn't relative in any way. Apples and oranges....and different rules covering the apples and oranges.

Yes, but the traveling violation occurred when he lifted the pivot foot while still having the ball in his hands.
The official will want to wait in order to see whether the player passes the ball or actually dribbles, but the violation had already occurred.

Also, 4-18-3 reminds us that:
"the ball may be batted into the air, provided that it is permitted to strike the playing court one or more times before the ball is touched again with either hand." (which would be a double dribble violation, not travelling).

Anyway, I was thinking it's funny because we both agree it is a violation (it is also under FIBA rules, which I am more familiar with) and would call it.
Still, we don't agree about which kind of violation it is :)

:confused:

No, the violation hasn't already occurred. There's no violation when the player jumps in the air and passes, shoots or calls a TO, or even if the player deliberately drops the ball while being airborne. The traveling violation occurs when the airborne player lands and then is the first player to touch the ball.

That's definitely NOT what I said. In fact, I went out of my way to specify that there was one exception, if you had read my post that was made almost 12 hours prior to your's! :)

I understand.

let's sum up, then:

1) Player jumps, drops the ball and recovers it. ---> Travelling
2) Player jumps, fumbles, then recovers the fumble. ---> Legal play

Right?

No.

Agree with #1 if it's a deliberate drop.

In #2, if the player recovers the fumble in mid-air and then comes down with the ball, it's traveling. If the airborne player recovers the fumble after coming down, it may or may not be traveling.

I agree with that.

I disagree with JR on his ruling on #2. Player control ended and then started again. This player is now that same as a player who jumped without the ball and caught it while airborne. He may land.

That's my opinion.

This would make a good Exam question.