What was (is) the purpose of the division line?

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

That would be pretty good evidence that the original purpose for the division line was for 6-on-6 basketball, because it predates the 1933 rule change creating the division line for the purpose of the 10-second count.

Does anyone know when the prohibition against returning to the backcourt was put in?

It's possible that that rule predates the 10-second limit, and thus could have been the original reason for the introduction of the division line on the boys side.

If that's true, then in order to Ref Ump Welsch's argument to hold up the backcourt restriction would have to have entered the game post 1920. It's possible that he using the wrong rule from the boys' side for comparison.