If you have not dribbled yet you can "pass" however it would be concidered a start of a dribble. When you catch up with the dribble you can continue the dribble or catch it then your options are pass or shoot.b

All that matters is whether you've already used your dribble. If the ball bounces, it's considered a dribble in this case. Therefore, you either have an illegal dribble or nothing.
You can have an illegal dribble if either of the following happen or happened:
1. A1 is dribbling and fumbles the ball after touching it with both hands. He then saves the ball from going OOB by grabbing it and tossing it back onto the court, where he runs to retrieve it after it bounces.
2. A1, who has not been in control of the ball, saves the ball from going OOB by grabbing the ball and tossing it onto the court. He then runs and grabs the ball with both hands and proceeds to begin dribbling.

It's true...It's true...:)

2003-04 NFHS BASKETBALL RULES INTERPRETATIONS

SITUATION 6: A1 jumps from the floor and secures a defensive rebound. A1 then pivots toward the sideline where a teammate, A2, is standing for an outlet pass. Just as A1 releases the pass, A2 turns and runs down the court. A1 throws a soft bounce pass to where A2 was standing. A1 then moves and secures the ball without dribbling. RULING: Legal action. A1 had the pivot foot on the floor and began a dribble by throwing the ball to the floor (the bounce pass); the dribble ended when A1 secured the ball. Upon reaching the ball, A1 also could have continued the dribble. (4-15-3,4)

So let me make sure I have this correct. If A1 has ended his dribble and he goes to make a pass to A2, but in the meantime A2 runs away, and A1 goes and recovers the pass this is a violation. Illegal dribble or a travel?

Scenerio 2: A1 still has his dribble and he makes an errant pass and he goes to secure it. May he continue to dribble or can he only recover it? Thanks guys I have learned a lot in a year.

Illegal (double) dribble.

Try it this way: A1 still has his dribble, and bats / forces / pushes (whatever the wording is) the ball to the ground. May he continue to dribble or can he only recover it? The answers is obvious (I hope) and the play is the same as your scenario 2, so the answer to secnario 2 is also obvious.

Illegal dribble.
Either one initially, but not recovery followed by a dribble.

okay, I now know I have called this wrong a few times this season, I thought once a player went out of bounce he couldn't be the first one to touch the ball once he/she came back in bounds? I am going to have to rethink this. Then what is with the rule that if a player runs out of bounce on the baseline and then comes back in and is the first too touch the ball then a technical foul could be called? I have never saw it called this way but it is stated in the rule book. I am surprised I wasn't questioned about this the few times I called the violation for a player coming from out of bounds to touch the ball first after the pass or ball forced them to run out of bounds. I am little confused now.

It is? Please cite the rule book for us.

Maybe he is referring to leaving the floor for an unauthorized reason 9-3-2. While only a violation now, iirc this used to be punished with a technical foul, but I might be confusing that with something else.

btw 181174 "out of BOUNDS" not "out of BOUNCE."

I posted both the current NFHS (high school) and the NCAA (college) rules on this in a recent thread. If you go read that, it should clear up your confusion.

http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=32364

btw 181174 "out of BOUNDS" not "out of BOUNCE."



okay, thanks. Hey, I had out of bounds 3 out of 5 times. Most players these days would be happy with that from the free throw line. :)

I believe I was confusing this with leaving the court for an unauthorized reason. The player leaving the court and coming back in and then catching the ball is something that I don't see called very often as a violation, it was changed to a violation this season, sorry I was thinking of the rule for last season with it being a technical foul. To clarify if a player fumbles a pass or is dribbling and kicks it off his/her leg and saves the ball from going out of bounds they can be the first player to touch the ball after coming back on the court from being out of bounds? I know I called this wrong a few times this season and the next AAU games that I work I will remember to let that go as a legal play. Thanks.

Be prepared to take some grief from coaches and fans. it's kind of like backcourt, you never know when the coaches are going to know the rule. :D

If the player passes the ball, using two hands to make the pass (as is the usual case), she'd not be allowed to follow with a dribble, right? The dribble ended when she put her second hand on the ball to start the pass.

I don't understand the question.

The pass (to "no one" and that hits the floor) is considered the start of the dribble when A1 recovers it.

Your question is like asking, "If A1 starts a dribble by pushing the ball to the floor with two hands, can A1 continue the dribble?" The answer, of course, is yes.