Please help clarify - 'half step' rule

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by scw2

hopefully someone can clarify what is the 'legal' European half-step rule. I have been unable to find a clear rule,

Hi scw. Welcome to the forum.

The reason that you haven't been able to find a clear rule on a "half-step" is that there is no such rule. Traveling violations are not based on "two steps" or "a step and a half", as so many fans believe.

Traveling occurs (with a couple exceptions) when a player's pivot foot is raised from the floor and then returned to the floor without releasing the ball.

That's it. There's no magic number of steps or anything like that. If I'm holding the ball and I lift my pivot foot, then I must shoot or pass the ball (or be granted time-out) before that pivot foot returns to the floor.

So when you're watching those "half-step" moves, ignore the steps and find the pivot foot. Once you find the pivot foot, it's very easy to determine if a move is legal or not.

If you need to know how to identify the pivot foot, just ask.

[jd6stop]

Scrapper1, why then when the pivot is picked up and put down again do you think we don't call it?
I do, however, I only call HS level. College and NBA allow this. Why do you think this is allowed?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by jd6stop

Scrapper1, why then when the pivot is picked up and put down again do you think we don't call it?
I do, however, I only call HS level. College and NBA allow this. Why do you think this is allowed?

NCAA answer: Sometimes it gets missed. There is a philosophy that you only call it if your're sure (that is, it's better to miss a travel then it is to call one that isn't).

It (calling the travel) has been emphasized in the pre-season and in-seson videos over the past several years.

[BktBallRef]

I have to disagree that it "just gets missed." "Missing" 3 or 4 in a game is one thing. But I can count at least 20 in any NCAA game I watch. Drives to the paint and low post moves are the worst. And while it maybe emphasized on videos, it's NOT being called in games.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I have to disagree that it "just gets missed."

So it's not getting called when it should be; and it's not just accidentally missing them. So what are you saying?

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

So it's not getting called when it should be; and it's not just accidentally missing them. So what are you saying?

I'm saying that missing 20 violations a game is not just missing them and that it's not being called when it should be.

Hell, the powers that be must agree with me. Bob told us that it's a POE in pre-season and in-season vidoes. Yet, it's still not being called. You tell me why.

The college game is following the footsteps of the NBA. Traveling is almost as prevalent in college as it is in the pros.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

The college game is following the footsteps of the NBA. Traveling is almost as prevalent in college as it is in the pros.

We need to stop focusing on level. Traveling is the most inconsistent call at all levels. I think the difference between HS calls and college and pro calls is the fact HS officials call travels that often are not there. But to say it is not being called at the college level (and even the pro level) is a little bit of an exaggeration. Maybe it is not called as much as you like. But it is very easy to call things sitting on our couch, and then it is when you are out there on the floor.

Peace

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I'm saying that missing 20 violations a game is not just missing them .

Then what is it? Are you saying that college officials intentionally ignore traveling violations? Because that's what it sounds like to me. And I seriously doubt that is the case. (And it's also a gross exaggeration -- maybe an intentional one -- to say that there are 20 missed traveling violations in any college game.)

Hell, the powers that be must agree with me. Bob told us that it's a POE in pre-season and in-season vidoes. Yet, it's still not being called. You tell me why.

I already did tell you why. It's a very difficult call at high speeds. It can be very difficult to determine exactly when the dribble ended and then also determine which foot, if any, was on the floor at that point.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

So it's not getting called when it should be; and it's not just accidentally missing them. So what are you saying?

Are you saying you've never seen step step dunk no-called?

Are you saying you've never no-called this yourself?

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Are you saying you've never seen step step dunk no-called?

Are you saying you've never no-called this yourself?

I have no doubt that I've missed it. I have never intentionally passed on it, when I knew it was a travel.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Are you saying you've never seen step step dunk no-called?

Hell, I watched about 2 minutes of game 2 of the NBA Finals and I saw a step step step step dunk no-called. There was a coupla minutes to go when I switched it on....LA was just coming back with a coupla minutes to go in the fourth.....some furriner with about 14 consonants in his name picked up the ball and.....honest to God.....took four(4) steps and then dunked the ball. No whistle. I shook my head, laughed, said "that's enough of this sh!t" and then turned it off again. Saw a story on the ESPN website the next day that said the NBA admitted that traveling shoulda been called. Well, no sh!t, Sherlock. Stevie Wonder coulda called that one.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by jd6stop

Scrapper1, why then when the pivot is picked up and put down again do you think we don't call it?

I'm going to echo Bob Jenkins. It gets missed. As I just said in another thread, traveling can be a very difficult call because of the speed of the play. Sometimes, it's nearly impossible to tell when the dribble ended AND which foot (if any) was on the ground when that happened.

I do, however, I only call HS level.

I'm glad you call it and have some confidence about it. We're all striving to get it right as often as humanly possible, regardless of which game we're working. (That's probably overly optimistic. MOST of us are striving. . .)

College and NBA allow this. Why do you think this is allowed?

It's not allowed. It's just not the top priority. That's especially true in the NBA. But as Bob mentioned, even in college, they don't want you to be travel-happy. If it's there and you know it, grab it. But don't call the borderline travel on a fast play where the feet hit so closely that it's not 100% clear which was the pivot.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by jd6stop

Scrapper1, why then when the pivot is picked up and put down again do you think we don't call it?
I do, however, I only call HS level. College and NBA allow this. Why do you think this is allowed?

High school officials miss travels too. Actually I see more travels by high school officials that are not there than any other level. That is because high school officials tend to call what looks funny rather than what is actually a violation. I see all the time legal jump stops called as travels. Or I have seen ball handlers fall to the floor without control of the ball be called for a travel as well. Those are probably the most common types of calls I see missed by high school officials.

Peace

[scw2]

Thanks guys. Between your responses and what I got from other sites regarding the rules, I think I got it. Basically it comes down to when you're executing a jump stop and when you're picking up your dribble if I understand it correctly. Thanks a lot

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by scw2

Thanks guys. Between your responses and what I got from other sites regarding the rules, I think I got it. Basically it comes down to when you're executing a jump stop and when you're picking up your dribble if I understand it correctly. Thanks a lot

An NBA jump stop may contain several "half steps" without a whistle. The same applies to an NBA jump start.