Did anyone else think the question near the end of the test about the 10-second count was incredibly weird?

It said something about player A1 in the front court passed to A2, who fumbled or missed, and the ball went into the back court and "sat untouched for 10 seconds". The point to the question was, is this a violation?

I literally cannot imagine the physics of this happening, nor the psychology. Even 4th grade girls aren't going to leave the ball untouched for 10 seconds!! And how will a passed ball just sit for 10 seconds!?!?

I had a hard time not laughing out loud.

At least, I got the answer right! (Yes, it's a violation!)

Why is this a violation? How can there be a 10 second count if no team has control? Or is it still considered team control, even though A2 deflected ball into back court? That's the only thing I can figure. What if B1 had deflected it instead of A2?

On the other hand, what do you have if A1 has ball in front court, puts ball on floor, then no one touches it (ever)?
Some of us have the shot clock to solve this, but what if you don't have shot clock? Also will never happen, but just wondered what the ruling would be.

1)If A2 deflects ball into back court after team A had player/team control in their front court,A team control continues.Then,you just go by R9-8.This question gets thrown in every 5/10 years or so.
2)If B1 deflects it into the back court,team A still has team control(R4-12-4).The 10 second count still applies.
3)If A1 puts the ball down in the front court and no one touches it,you have some happy officials.That's because it's gonna be a short game(no call until period ends)!:D

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Nov 26th, 2002 at 08:51 PM]

I'll take play #3, please. :)

I've always said that there are rules that you might NEVER need to know EXCEPT FOR THE TEST. But this is an example of a rule that you need all the time twisted in such a way that you will probably never see it either.

You may even get an anal evaluator that'll mark you up for not starting a visible 10 second count on balls tipped into the back court.:eek:

Btw,shouldn't we be starting a visible count in these situations?

If your evaluator is going by the book, you better start your count when the ball is regained after being tipped into backcourt.

Tim,for NFHS games,why would you wait until the ball is regained by a player in the back court to start the 10 second count?According to Fed R9-8,the count starts when the player or team has continous control in the back court.The defense touching the ball does not break up the continuity of team control.The team would still have control when the ball is knocked back over the line,and that's when the count should start.
I think NCAA rules say team control too,if I remember right.

Btw,remember that if A tipped the ball into the back court after they had player or team control in the front court,it is a back-court violation as soon as they touch the ball,even though the 10 second count started as soon as the ball went back over the center line.

[Edited by Jurassic Referee on Nov 27th, 2002 at 01:11 AM]