Time out

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Once both teams get there hands on the ball, it can only be either dual player/team control or no player control for either (although team control may persist). A timeout is either no longer an option for either team or a timeout is an option for both.

(Now that I've thought about this a bit more, I'm going to flip on my reasoning but the result is the same.)

I believe neither player has control. Perhaps team control doesn't end (this doesn't really matter), but player control does end.

The rule you cited doesn't refer to which team/player is which in referring to not being able to obtain control but refers to them as opponents. It is saying that NEITHER player has control when both are holding the ball. It establishes the concept that player control exists only when a player is holding the ball alone. If you think about it, the whole point of player control is that the player is in control of the ball and is free to do what they wish with the ball (dribble, shoot, pass). And that is something they can not do if someone else is also holding it.

Once B gets their hands on the ball, player A (not necessarily team A) has lost player control and the option of a timeout is gone.

The only things that can happen next is that someone gains player control by pulling the ball free or a held ball is called.

The rules do not support dual team or player control. Also, the rule referred to above does not address player control. The rule refers to physically controlling the ball, not team or player control.

Maybe it's semantics, if both players are holding the ball AND the official hits the whistle, THEN it becomes a held ball. Until the held ball is whistled, Team A still has player and team control.

As a matter of practice, I always see the timeout granted if it's whistled before the held ball is whistled.