Backcourt violation or not?
 

Had a strange one the other night. Girls varsity game. A1 close to the division line passes the ball across court. The ball hits in the backcourt and has spin on it. A2 catches the pass with both feet in the front court. Violation or not? Rule reference would be appreciated. I have looked it up myself, but it was a strange play. After some comments, I will let you know what my partner called.

A1 was in the frontcournt. I didn't make that clear in the thread.

Backcourt
 

It looks like back court to me, but I wouldn't call it. The ball has backcourt status. If a player jumps from front court and touches the ball, he has front court status and it's a back court violation.

But if you call this....the coach and the crowd are going to go nuts....JMO

Violation as per rule 9-9-1, if A1 was in the front court when he passed the ball.

If your partner didn't call the violation, he was wrong.

Are you serious? You're not going to make the <b>RIGHT</b> call because you're worried about what the coach and the freaking fans think?

That's completely ludicrous!

I hate to tell you this but there's quite a few coaches out there that do know and understand the rule. If you fail to call that one, the <b>other</b> coach is gonna be on your butt. And I don't blame him one bit.

Btw, the player doesn't have to jump from the front court either to have a violation. It's a violation if the player is in the front court when he's the first to touch the ball after it was in the back court.

Sooooo...A1, FC status, is trapped in the corner near the division line. He purposely throws a pass into the backcourt with spin on it so that it bounces one-time and a) goes directly to A2 who is standing in the frontcourt or b) then bounces one time in the frontcourt before going directly to A2 who is standing in the frontcourt.

You (and other folks from previous threads) WOULD NOT call this a backcourt violation? :confused:

Partner called backcourt violation. We discussed it without rule book. Just thought it was an odd sit. No one said a word. They probably didn't know one way or the other.

I have called that play a BC violation.
But isn't this being examined by NFHS?
See http://forum.officiating.com/showpos...4&postcount=13
Until then, it is a BC violation.

kycat1, What's your call on the above situations?

Same answer as always!
 

You know how I'll answer!:D

a) When the ball hits the division line or the backcourt and goes directly to A2 in the air, the ball still has backcourt position since it touched the backcourt last before A2 catches it, so you have an over and back violation.

b) When the ball hits the division line or backcourt and then bounces in the front court and is then picked up by A2, the ball now has front court position and since A2 has front court position, I have no violation. Play on!:D

That's not a reason to not make the correct call.

Really? So you believe it's okay to ignore this rule?

A player shall not be the first to touch a ball after it has been in team control in the frontcourt, if he/she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt.

Where does it say it's okay for A2 to touch the ball if it comes back into the FC?

In Mary Struckoff's email. :(

Is this an actual reference? Can you show it to us?

Not to worry. There is nowayinhell that the officials on the Rules Committeee will ever allow that one to change. It's been the same interpretation under both NFHS and NCAA rules forever.

Mary Struckhoff is the rule book <b>editor</b>. That position sureasheck doesn't mean that she has a good knowledge of the rules.

Here is the main part of Ms. Struckoff's email that was posted by kycat1 in another thread. Please note that I did not receive this email and I cannot vouch for its authenticity (although I do believe that it is authentic). I am merely copying from another post.

On a related topic. . .

Take a look at how she "signed" the email. "Basketball Rules Editor/National Interpreter". And don't forget that the Rules Committee is not made up only of officials. The ADs/Coaches might not care if the change is made.

National Interpreter? What? Was Old School busy that day?

Btw, they'd better be prepared to delete case book 9.9.1SitC. It's exactly the same-reversed.

backcourt violation. 9.1 "A player shall not be the first to touch a ball after it has been in team control in the frontcourt, if she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt." A1 caused the ball to go into the back court and it was touched first by A2. the rule does not make a provision for where A2 is on the court when she touches it.

We know that.

Mary Struckhoff doesn't.