Pass Goes Behind the Backboard, Through the Supports

Being on top of his rules is one of the reasons he is a D1 official.

NOTE: If the backboard is fan shaped the ball may pass over the backboard without violation.

[CoachP]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

Being on top of his rules is one of the reasons he is a D1 official.

What "rule" was violated?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by CoachP

What "rule" was violated?

Pretty sure Ch1 was being facetious.
Nothing illegal here, nothing to see, folks. Play on.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

NOTE: If the backboard is fan shaped the ball may pass over the backboard without violation.

I was always curious about this one - why is it different for a fan shape as opposed to a rectangular shape? Anyone know?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I was always curious about this one - why is it different for a fan shape as opposed to a rectangular shape? Anyone know?

Because with the fan shape, it's hard to tell if it goes "over" or "beside".

[Kingsman1288]

I actually had this happen to me during a game. I no called it, and then some official who was in the stands cornered me after the game and blasted me for no calling it. I asked him what rule he was specifically referring to, and he was really vague about it. Just kept on repeating it was in the rule book and I needed to go look.

Next time I saw him was at a DII college game getting his a** chewed out by his supervisor for blowing some calls.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Because with the fan shape, it's hard to tell if it goes "over" or "beside".

It is no harder than for a rectangular backboard. The fan boards still have vertical edges on the sides....if the ball is inside of that, it is over the top.

My opinion...

Its a matter of likelihood in combination with the original reason for the rule. The rule came about when Wilt Chamberlain's team would lob a baseline throw-in over the board for him to slam in. If I'm not mistaken, the NBA and most, if not all of D1, had converted to rectangular backboards by his time. It was a completely indefensible play...so they made it illegal for the ball to cross over the top of the board. There is rarely a "normal" play where the ball also goes over a rectangular board. As for fan shaped boards...they're much smaller and it is much more likely for a ball to go over the top in the course of normal play. Not wanting to stop the game unnecessarily and knowing that fan boards were used in places not likley to be affected by Chamberlain-like players, there was no need to illegalize it for fan shaped boards.

[Back In The Saddle]

Thanks, Camron. That is the first reasonable explanation of this I've ever heard.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

Thanks, Camron. That is the first reasonable explanation of this I've ever heard.

Agreed. It makes sense, it's simple, and it's sufficient.

[Back In The Saddle]

For those whose books are not readily at hand...

NFHS 7-1-2: ART. 2 . . . The ball is out of bounds:
b. When it passes over a rectangular backboard.

NCAA 7-1-3: Art. 3. The ball shall be out of bounds when any part of the ball passes over the backboard from any direction.

Had never really thought about it before, but I suppose a pass from one side of the key to the other, that passed over a rectangular backboard the long way, would also be illegal.

Question for the brain trust...How much of the ball must pass over the backboard? If only a portion of the ball passes over the corner of the backboard, is that illegal? Must it be the entire ball?

[CoachP]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

For those whose books are not readily at hand...

NFHS 7-1-2: ART. 2 . . . The ball is out of bounds:
b. When it passes over a rectangular backboard.

NCAA 7-1-3: Art. 3. The ball shall be out of bounds when any part of the ball passes over the backboard from any direction.

Had never really thought about it before, but I suppose a pass from one side of the key to the other, that passed over a rectangular backboard the long way, would also be illegal.

Question for the brain trust...How much of the ball must pass over the backboard? If only a portion of the ball passes over the corner of the backboard, is that illegal? Must it be the entire ball?

Technically, I can stand in the exact corner of the playing court and shoot a three. It does not count then? It HAS to go over the corner, from the back, to fall in.........

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

For those whose books are not readily at hand...

NFHS 7-1-2: ART. 2 . . . The ball is out of bounds:
b. When it passes over a rectangular backboard.

NCAA 7-1-3: Art. 3. The ball shall be out of bounds when any part of the ball passes over the backboard from any direction.

Brushing up on college rule citations for any particular reason, BITS???

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JS 20

I went and re-read the rule and then asked myself why it was in place. The best thing I can come up with is that it puts the defense at a disadvantage to steal, tip, etc. the pass when you're behind the board and pass it over the top to someone on the other side. That said, the defense has the exact same opportunity to block the shot in the corner that they have anywhere else on the floor so it shouldn't matter in that instance. Just my $0.02

Camron has told us the origin of the rule:

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Its a matter of likelihood in combination with the original reason for the rule. The rule came about when Wilt Chamberlain's team would lob a baseline throw-in over the board for him to slam in. If I'm not mistaken, the NBA and most, if not all of D1, had converted to rectangular backboards by his time. It was a completely indefensible play...so they made it illegal for the ball to cross over the top of the board. There is rarely a "normal" play where the ball also goes over a rectangular board. As for fan shaped boards...they're much smaller and it is much more likely for a ball to go over the top in the course of normal play. Not wanting to stop the game unnecessarily and knowing that fan boards were used in places not likley to be affected by Chamberlain-like players, there was no need to illegalize it for fan shaped boards.

[Indianaref]

Originally Posted by grunewar

I was always curious about this one - why is it different for a fan shape as opposed to a rectangular shape? Anyone know?

Lobbyist. Help keep the fan shape manufacturers going. I think they are going to need a bail out.

[btaylor64]

so... in college is it legal or illegal? Like someone said earlier, this is illegal in the pro game, so I don't want to blow it in a college game, so what is correct?