Interrupted dribble situation

[efbyon]

Hi everyone,

During our IHSAA basketball officials clinic last Saturday, the following play was shown on a DVD that our clinician, who I know well, made:

A1 is dribbling the ball; during the dribble, the ball bounces off A1's leg by accident, causing an interrupted dribble. The loose ball then touches A2 and then is caught with both hands by A1. A1 then starts dribbling again.

Our clinician said that this is an illegal dribble. The reason for this is because A2's touching of the ball in this case occured during an interrupted dribble and thus did not end A1's dribble. When A1 caught the ball, than ended the original dribble, and therefore, when A1 started dribbling again, a violation occured. Furthermore, 9-5-3 would not apply in this case because A1's action was not considered a pass; it was an interrupted dribble.

My take: I think there's a chance he's right, but I'm not really convinced. If you look at 4-31, the definition of a pass, it does say that "A pass is the movement of the ball caused by a player who throws, bats or rolls the ball to another player." One could make the argument that even though it was an interrupted dribble and that A1 did not intend to actually pass the ball, the ball was, in a manner of speaking, batted to A2 and therefore this would be considered a pass in this case, despite that A1 did not intend to do so. Therefore, after A2's touching and A1's subsequent recovery, A1 should be allowed to start a new dribble.

(Of course, had it been B1 touching the interrupted dribble. that would be easier, as 9-5-2 would apply)

Thoughts?