Jump Ball Positioning

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

I think we relax often on a jump and forget about stuff like that.

Agree, now we do. Back in the olden days, before those new fangled electric light bulb alternating possession arrows, when we were tossing for jump balls dozens of times each game, at three different jump ball circles, we knew the rules like the backs of our hands. Yep, this was back when girls middle school games took almost three hours. And we used to walk, in the snow, to all of our games, uphill, both ways.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree, now we do. Back in the olden days, before those new fangled electric light bulb alternating possession arrows, when we were tossing for jump balls dozens of times each game, at three different jump ball circles, we knew the rules like the backs of our hands. Yep, this was back when girls middle school games took almost three hours. And we used to walk, in the snow, to all of our games, uphill, both ways.

Color me skeptical.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Color me skeptical.

We had to know the jump ball rules that well. Jump balls to start every period. Jump balls for every held ball. Jump balls for two opponents touching ball going out of bounds. Jump balls for when officials don't know who caused it to go out of bounds. Jump balls for lodged balls. I think that we even had jump balls for closely guarded? And we had a wide variety of players jumping, not two big guys tapping to a bunch of littler guys like we have today. In three different jump ball circles. Coaches actually had plays for different jump ball situations, expect to win tap, expect to lose tap, near their basket, near opponent's basket, etc. I only coached middle school and I had two, or three, jump ball plays that we actually practiced.

Don't believe me? Just ask Jurassic Referee, and Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. Of course Mark T. DeNucci, Sr. had jump balls every time he took the ball out of the peach basket. As an official, I don't go back that far.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree, now we do. Back in the olden days, before those new fangled electric light bulb alternating possession arrows, when we were tossing for jump balls dozens of times each game, at three different jump ball circles, we knew the rules like the backs of our hands. Yep, this was back when girls middle school games took almost three hours. And we used to walk, in the snow, to all of our games, uphill, both ways in the dark.

Also, when no 3 point line existed, a player could be behind players in the lane, as long as he stood at least 3 feet behind the other player. And 'lane spaces' were at 3 ft intervals even around the back of the circle behind the FT shooter, although those were unmarked ones.