muffed pass, then dribble

[Mike Burns]

Originally posted by Rev.Ref63
I apologize if my scenario wasn't clear. A player is receiving a pass and his defender has a play on the ball as well. To avoid having the ball stolen, he bats the ball to the ground as opposed to catching it. The ball bounces once then he catches it. Does he still have his dribble? I lean towards "no" in this case.

As JR and Crew stated earlier, (I think from both sides of the same coin), the key is "control". If the player bats the ball to the ground "with control" it would constitute the beginning of a dribble. If the player then holds the ball, the dribble has ended. If the player bats the ball, and it was "without control" of the ball, then gains control by holding the ball, the player may begin a dribble.

From the sitch you describe I too would say NO the player does not still have his dribble.

Mike