We call the carry when the ball comes to rest in the player's hand, which is virtually the same way we determine if they held it.

If, however, a dribbler taps the ball upwards, this is perfectly legal as long as it hits the floor before the dribbler touches the ball again. It's perfectly possible for a player to "control" a tap to a teammate (or away from an opponent) without ever gaining player control. Whether the ball goes where it was intended to go is not relevant.

Ha. Saw it happen in a Pac-10 game last week. Over and back right in front of one of the officials. No call. All of a sudden the official from across the court realizes there wasn't going to be a call so he blew his whistle and ran in from about 40 feet away with the correct call. The guy who should've made the call just stood there dumbfounded for a couple seconds and then shook his head like, "oops, I guess I should've called that."

Catch 22 ???
 

Circular logic. We've got to break this circle. It's been going on for far too long. Time for the NFHS to define "holding". They've defined just about everything else that occurs in the game.

Grant a timeout? Yes, if player is holding ball.
Player holding ball? Yes, if you would grant a timeout.

Holding ???
 

Good point. How does the NHFS define holding (going way back to my high school physical education classes: holding is illegal) in the volleyball rules?

What part of "the ball comes to rest" can't you understand, Billy? You know...rules 4-15-4(a) and 4-15-4(b)?

Now you're creating your very own Myth.

And as Bob says, sometimes you just have to referee.

Ball Comes To Rest ...
 

The dribbler catches or causes the ball to come to rest in one or both
hands.

The dribbler palms/carries the ball by allowing it to come to rest in one or
both hands.

I know when a player is holding the ball. As Snaqwells, and bob jenkins, stated, it's part of refereeing.

I just don't think that we should be defining holding with a question as to whether, or not, we should be granting a request for a timeout, although the logic is, by rule, correct. Use the phrase, "the ball comes to rest", to decide whether, or not, to grant a timeout, or whether, or not, a player is holding a ball.

Grant a timeout? Yes, if the ball has come to rest in a player's hand.
Player holding ball? Yes, if the ball has come to rest in a player's hand.

It's neater, and I believe, more logical.

Billy, no one has used that question as a definition. It's a helpful guide, nothing more.

Perhaps you just think WAY too hard about this. The NFHS doesn't need to define every little single thing.

Paralysis through analysis.

It`s a judgment call. And the judgment is, was and always will be whether the ball comes to rest in a player`s hand(s). It is that simple.

All your `logic`is doing is confusing people imo.

+1. I'll call it when I see it and my call will be, by definition, the correct one. It's purely a judgment call.

Yeah, like hanging all those National Championship Banners............;)

Great responses! Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

Of course you can. What happens on every jump ball to start every game??? The two jumpers try to bat the ball in a certain direction. They're not just flailing away, hoping to make contact. They're trying (or at least, hoping) to direct to a teammate.

But they obviously are not allowed to hold the ball; that would be a violation.

Bat Away ...
 

Good point. Similar to the volleyball analogy, above.

Of course, we could always ask ourselves if we would grant a request for a timeout during the bat in a jump ball? That would clinch the deal.