Held Ball Violation

[grunewar]

IAW 4-25, "both opponents" need to have their hands on the ball for you to put air in your whistle for a held ball.

A1 ends his dribble. B1 reaches in an tips the ball away. A1 momentarily fumbles the ball in the air, and it becomes wedged between A1's forearm and body. B1 reaches in and grabs the ball with both hands, but is unable to take it awayl A1 and B1 begin wrestling for control of the ball which remains wedged between A1's body and forearm and B1 has both hands on the ball.

Seems not to meet the definition. Do you blow it dead or let them wrestle until something eventually happens - foul, loose ball, etc?

[Mark Padgett]

If you want to be really technical (no pun intended) about it, it's not a held ball. 4-25 says "hands" and the title to 4-24 (and other sections) mentions "hands and arms", indicating that the rules consider them to be different entities.

Having said that, I'm calling it a held ball nevertheless. This would come under the heading of "preventative officiating". I can't imagine anyone would give you trouble over this, except maybe that coach who carries the rulebook around in his pocket protector.

[Back In The Saddle]

IMHO, this sitch falls within the spirit of the held ball rule. The alternative would be to allow them to continue wrestling until one wrests control from the other, or until A1 gets his hands onto the ball. That's not a situation I want to encourage or prolong.

[refnrev]

It's a held ball.

[Adam]

The way I visualize this from what's written, I've got a held ball.