Partners Area

[CDurham]

This has been a week of situations for me. Last night in the BV game I am in the Trail in the frontcourt. I do not have a closely guarded count and the dribbler moves along the key to my partners area in the slot/C. So I give up the dribbler to him. However, my partner is having some sort of conversation with the coach as he is tableside. I am still in the T as the Lead had not rotated yet. As I look throughout my area up top, I see A1 who still has the ball, fall to the court from what looked like a little contact, but nothing big time. The other coach of course wanted the travel but my partner who was right on top of the play did not have a whistle, and I didnt feel the need to reach across. But the reason my partner missed it was because his head was turned and whistle out of his mouth talking to the coach of the team who's player fell to the court with the ball.

The contact caused the player to fall to the court even though it was minimal. It would be one thing if my partner was focused in on the play and didn't have a whistle. But in this situation when he is totally out of it, is it one of the fine lines of should I reach or should I not? If I had reached I would have had the foul.