Case Book Question

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Ref in PA

Based on interp 7, a logical extrapolation would be: A1 in backcourt passes to A2 who is near the division line in front court. Team B is in a full court press. B2 leaps from Team A's backcourt (B's frontcourt) and intercepts the pass, then lands in Team A's frontcourt (B's backcourt). According to interp 7 that would be a violation. Tony is going to have to revise his Backcourt quiz.

Sorry, I think the NFHS made a mistake with these interps.

While I agree that I'd like to see the interps changed (and it's been discussed several time at lenght here), your example would still NOT be a violation. According to the NFHS (that is, as I read what the NFHS has written, I think the definition is, the "defensive player" means "an opponent player of the team in control." In your example, there was a team in control (Team A), and so Team B was the defense, so the excpetion applies.

In Situation 7, there was no team control, so there was no offense.

Frankly, I'd like the see the exception be "anyone on a team not in cotrol (both teams if neither has control) can grab the ball in the air and land in the backcourt"