Backcourt or Not???

[APG]

Originally Posted by tbarney

Got a situation that we are currently discussing in the association, so I wanted to get your guys take on what the correct call is.

Here is the situation

Team A has the ball on the endline under Team B's basket after a made three pointer by Team B. A1 (the player with the ball on the endline) throws a baseball pass to A2 who is in A's frontcourt. Instead of catching the ball, A2 muffs the pass. The ball bounces three times in the frontcourt (without being touched after the initial muff) and rolls into the backcourt where a Team A player is the first to pick it up. Has a backcourt violation occurred? Just interested to hear rules interpretations on this scenario. Thanks guys and gals!!!

Not a backcourt violation. The four criteria for a violation are:

1. Team control
2. Ball must achieve a frontcourt status
3. The team in control is the last to touch the ball while it has a frontcourt status.
4. The team in control is the first to touch the ball after it has achieved a backcourt status.

As I envision the play, a simple muff does not establish team control (no team control on a throw-in under NFHS rules) as the player is not holding or dribble the ball. Therefore no violation.