Pass to himself
 

I saw this play this weekend and thought it was a violation but it wasn't called. Player at top of the key shoots a high arching shot. The ball never touches the rim or net(classic air ball). Same player follows his shot catches the ball in the air, comes down then shoots it again and scores. Parents thought it was a pass to himself but neither coaches nor referees seemed concerned. Was this correct no call?

When the player releases the ball on a try, (shot) this ends both team and player control. The shooter has the same right to retrieve the ball as any other player, whether it touches anything or not.

Correct "no call". Team control ended as soon as the ball was released on a "try" for goal. No team control means it's anybody's ball.

The officials apparently knew the rule. Kudos to the coaches for possibly knowing the rule too. Below is the citation from the Case Book.

4.44 SITUATION B: A1 attempts a try after ending the dribble. The try does not
touch the backboard, the rim or any other player. A1 runs and is able to catch the ball before it strikes the floor. Is this traveling? RULING: No. When A1 recovered his/her own try, A1 could either dribble, pass or try again. There was no team control after the ball was released on a try.

Finally, there's no such thing as a "pass to himself."

By definition, a pass is movement of the ball caused by a player who throws, bats or rolls the ball to another player.

Who You Gonna Call ???
 

Mythbusters.

The shooter can retrieve his or her own airball, if the referee considers it to be a shot attempt. The release ends team control. It is not a violation for that player to start another dribble at that point.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/...ee250d37_m.jpg

Thanks for the information. It ill be interesting to see how the parents react to this information when I see them again.

Here's a hint. Don't bother, they won't believe you anyway.

Do you also want to explain "over the back" and "reaching"? :eek:

"Moving screen! Moving screen! C'mon ref, you gotta get that one!"

Isn't this rule different in the NCAA or NBA. I know it's different in one of them.

Retrieving one's own ariball is a violation in the NBA.

I had a player get upset with me for calling a violation when he passed the ball off the glass to himself for a dunk. It was very obvious it was a pass not a missed shot. I thought for sure I got it right but not one hundred percent.

Play on...I'm not a mind reader. If a player throws it off the glass 99.9 percent of officials will judge it to be a try. I'm not going to be in that .1 percent. Plus I believe there's a case book play that says it it legal to throw the ball off of one's equipment and retrieve the ball. Someone will come along and post it I'm sure.

Also, by rule and definition, a player can not pass the ball to himself. It is impossible.

What if a player where stuck in a trap situation or just a situation where he or she lost her dribble and he or she throw it over the heads of the defender and then goes and retrieves it on the other side?
what would be the difference?

I don't see how this play is even related to throwing the ball off the backboard. The difference in this play is that it's a travel. Case book play 4.44.3 Situation D covers this.

Look at case book play 9.5

9.5 SITUATION A: A1 dribbles and comes to a stop after which he/she throws the ball against: (a) his/her own backboard; (b) the opponent’s backboard; or (c) an official and catches the ball after each.

RULING: Legal in (a); a team’s own backboard is considered part of that team’s “equipment” and may be used. In (b) and (c), A1 has violated; throwing the ball against an opponent’s backboard or an official constitutes another dribble, provided A1 is first to touch the ball after it strikes the official or the board. (4-4-5; 4-15-1, 2; Fundamental 19)

Down The Road Again ...
 

If he throws it off the backboard, legal.
If he throws it in the vicinity of the rim, legal (I'll assume it was try).

If neither of the above apply, either travel or illegal dribble, depending on the circumstance.

Exactly what violation did you call?

I called a travel. Didn't realize there was a diff between opponentbackboard and there own. Thanks... I see I was wrong on this one.

Ouch.

This is why if I'm not sure about a call, I almost always err on the side of play-on. I would hate to be the guy that took away a highlight reel play simply because I thought I knew a rule and then find out I was completely wrong.

Not trying to be overly critical as we all make mistakes. But it is a reminder of why I think it's a good idea to err on the side of play on unless you're absolutely sure there's a violation there.