Please help clarify - 'half step' rule

[BillyMac]

In 2001, my daughter's U15 AAU team participated in the Eurobaskeight International Basketball Tournament, in Lloret De Mar, Spain, involving teams from fourteen countries. I went along as a parent chaperon.

As I watched her six games, I was wearing three hats, that of a high school varsity official, that of a middle school basketball coach, and that of a team supporter, in other words, I wasn't observing the game entirely as an official, as I would today.

I don't know a thing about FIBA rules, but I did notice one thing right away in the first game, that carried over into the last five games, with many different officials: Traveling was called differently depending on where the offensive player was, and where she was going with the ball. If an offensive player was simply dribbling around the perimeter, perhaps using screens, traveling was called early and often, very strictly, no gray areas, and in many cases I disagreed with the call. On the other hand, when the offensive player was making a move to the basket that ended in a shot, it seemed like there was a lot of leeway given to the ball handler, it almost seemed that they were allowed a little extra before traveling was called, and again, I disagreed with some of the calls.

I know that a lot of Forum members will tell me that the travel rule is the same for FIBA as it is for NFHS, but I swear, the above mentioned situations occurred over and over again. Maybe it's not a matter of the written rule, maybe it a matter of local interpretations.