B/C sitch...what should I have done?
 

BHSJV I'm trail table side. Team A has ball in their FC, in the corner opposite table. Ball gets loose, and heads into BC with a team A player chasing it.
I have no idea who was last to touch in FC...(my scr**up), A touches ball in BC and wait a second to see if player reaction/body language would maybe let the play call itself. At this point I'm in front of B's bench he's loudly saying "backcourt." Team A player gets me off the hook by simply picking up the ball once he touched it, I whistle BC trying to give the impression with the slow whistle that I knew it was BC all along.
Major pooch on my part. Put it behind me and concentrated on the rest of the game, which was a close hard fought game, and actually had a pretty good game.... but I've been kicking myself since about the BC.

So my 2nd yr. newbie questions are:
1) What did I do wrong or have done better a the trail when ball went down into the corner?
2) When you're trail and DO NOT have definite knowledge of who was "last to touch"....no call and play on taking the heat for a blown call? I mean it's not like you can go to P for help, the ball is alive.

FWIW...as my second season will be coming to an end in a few weeks, I feel that BC calls overall are one of my weakest areas. I don't feel I'm much better at last to touch/first to touch recognition in the heat of the game...esp. at a higher (JV) level than I was last season.
I feel i've improved a lot in many area vs. last year.....but this is not one of them.

In 2-person game (which sounds like you were in), I move into the backcourt and come onto the court (maybe so far as the middle of the court) in order to get a good view of the action in the corner. Work in an arc so the farther you are on the court, the farther you are from the centerline (hope that makes sense). Be aware of possible turnover and bodies coming at you toward opposite basket.

But above all, get where you can see the play.

That's one of the worst areas on the court for a two man crew. I've been burned a couple of times on OOB calls in that area.

I would say that if you're not 100% sure that the offense was the last to touch, don't call the violation

Here are 2 strategies:

1. Call the violation. Then check with your partner about who touched the ball last. If your partner knows it was A, then you made the right call. If partner doesn't know or it was B, signal accidental whistle and give the ball back to A.

2. Don't call what you didn't see. If partner saw a BC violation, let partner whistle it from the bowels of the FC.

Neither option is appealing. Try to see who touched it. ;)

Here's another:

3. L should use the "tipped ball" signal if B was the last to touch, so you know not to call the violation. If L doesn't give the signal, call the violation.

Guys:
Thanks for the help and tips.
Bob...I'll be sure to add yours to my pre-game.

I don't get this comment. So are you watching the L's corner? And who is watching the lane and other players?

To me this is also a situation where the L would be justified in calling the violation as well if it is clear that the T doesn't have it - similar to the C calling it in a 3-person game if the ball comes quickly out of his/her primary to the BC and T has no idea who touched it last.

Give the man a cigar.

My goal is not to play "look how smart I am" with the teams, etc. If it's CLEARLY a violation (A CLEARLY was the last to touch and first to touch with A in team control) than I will certainly call it and will be prepared to give a brief explanation to the apoplectic coach. But if there's ANY doubt in my mind who was the last to touch, it's not a violation.

The ball was not in his primary when it came out towards the backcourt. I'm not ball watching so I can get a possible backcourt violation that may happen once a season.

The lead needs to step up and help here.

I would go with Bob's suggestion. Assuming B tips: If I'm the L, I'll give a tip signal and hope the T picks it up. If not, I'll whistle and talk to the T and we'll end up with an accidental whistle.