Over The Backboard
 

Had this in a youth league game yesterday and got me thinking, NFHS rules apply:

A1 drives toward the side of his basket a bit out of control and ends up going too far and past the backboard. As he is starting to fall out of bounds, he throws a pass/try over the rectangular backboard from behind (he was clearly behind the backboard at the time). It actually hits the top of the backboard, bounces up & over, then drops down on the basket rim. It does not go in though (sorry SportCenter), is rebounded by the defense and we head the other way.

I didn't blow my whistle, being surprised like everyone else at what we almost saw, but started thinking later about the correct call. I was pretty sure that any pass or try from behind the backboard that goes over the top of a rectangular backboard is whistled dead as a violation. But seemed to me that there was an exception for if it first bounced on the top of the backboard.

Checked the NFHS rules site and it does confirm that any pass or try, from either the front or behind the backboard, that goes over the top of an R backboard is a violation. But it then states that if it hits the top, it remains live though the wording implies that this is the case if the attempt came from in front (which we see happen often). Maybe I am not reading it right though.

Trying to figure how the reverse, something originating from behind the backboard, would stay live and legal just because it touched the top as it went to the front of the backboard.

Thoughts?

You're over thinking it. Did it go over backboard is all you need to know.

Touching the top is irrelevant. Passing over the board from either side is a violation.

You're thinking too hard about this.

If the ball passes over a rectangular backboard, it's a violation period. The only circumstance where the ball will remain live if it hits the top of the basket would be if the ball came from the front or side of the backboard, and didn't pass over the top of the backboard.

GUILTY - all the time!

:D

Hitting the top is not a violation, because it hasn't passed over it yet. If it hits the top and continues "over", it's a violation. If it hits the top and bounces back to the side from whence it came, nothing.

Whence? Did Spenser steal your login? :p

Gone Fishin' ...
 

Were you the lead, or the trail?

Short version - ...unless the try/pass came from the backside of the backboard, then violation for hitting the OOB side of the backboard which is the side from whence it came.

Longer version - ...Applying the same logic used on IB passes that strikes the bottom of the backboard on an IB pass from the endline, if the try/pass came from the endline side of the backboard and comes back from to the side whence it came the ball struck the endline side of the backboard and is a violation. Seldom seen but still an exception to your answer. It would apply in the OP.

An exception to my exception - If backspin provide the impetus for the ball to come back from whence is came, it might not have actually hit the backside of the backboard. This sitch is seldom seen except in globe trotter and exhibitions of that sort. However I have never seen my exception to the exception.

Edited to add exception to the exception and fix a boat load of spelling errors.

Good rule of thumb, but only a rule of thumb.

Unreal - it's never happened to me before. I've called violations for the ball going over the rectangular backboard coming off rim many times but after reading this post I actually had to call it last night from inbounds pass.

GV - A1 having problems all night inbounding ball under own basket. I'm trail. On this occasion she decides to lob the ball crosscourt diagonally - right over the backboard to A2 behind 3 pt line. I whistle and open hand up. Home coach goes ballistic when after catching ball - A2 sinks a 3pt shot that would have put them in lead had it been legal. Doesn't understand my call. Visiting coach smiles and nods head. Later - he was talking with me and said he was suprised at how quickly my whistle went off. I might have had a slower whistle and thought more had it not been for reading this post. :)