Travel or not
 

During the IU& IOWA game on Saturday there was a play during the 2nd half that I was unsure on, I know it has been discussed here many times and I think I have called this play a travel a few times myself, I just wondering if it really is a travel? the play was when AJ Ratliff had the ball out by the top of the key, he caught the ball, faced the basket and then proceeded to jump in the air looking to either pass or shoot but when the defender ran at him as he was coming down, feet still in the air he dribbled the ball, the officials called it a travel after a brief delay and a huddle between the lead and the Center they decided on a travel. Just wondering if anyone saw this play and was it a travel?

I didn't see the play.

In Fed, it's a travel pure and simple. IIRC, it is in NCAA women's too, but I"m not sure about men's. The general principle is that the ball has to be released on a dribble before the pivot foot is lifted from the floor. Once he's jumped up with both feet off the floor, it's too late to start a dribble.

Hmmm, he must have had a tremendous verticle to dribble before his feet hit the ground. That is a travel. One foot must be considered to be the pivot and must be on the floor when the ball is released to start a dribble.

I saw the play. It was clearly a travel. Cannot lift pivot foot before starting a dribble.

That's not what will spark the real debate here. The real issue is that the ball was at the top of the key and slightly on the trail's half of the court. It was the lead who came with a delayed whistle after the player proceeded to dribble towards the paint. The lead however gave no signal. He immediately went out to the trail and after a brief discussion the trail came out with a travel signal.

But they did get it right...this wasn't exactly the only issue this crew had.

Yeah, but I know there are some folks lurking around here who will say it was not a game-saving call, so the the Lead should not have had a whistle on that play.

They had a whistle on every other play, so why not this one too?:D