Hello!
I'm not a ref. I'm just a kid, who is playing basketball a lot http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif
Can you please tell me how far free throw, and 3 pt lines are in highschool/college/nba basketball?
Thanks in advance!

High school and college are the same:

Free throw line's farthest edge = 15 feet from the front face of the backboard.

3-point line farthest edge = 19 feet 9 inches from the center of the basket (starting on the court below the hoop, of course).

I don't know about NBA distances, but assume the free-throw line is the same as high school and college.

Check the NBA website for your info at nba.com

Rules and interpretations are also there.

I looked on nba.com before, but didn't find anything http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/frown.gif
I've looked in encarta encyclopedia, and it said that ft line is 16 feet for everything. Is that correct?
Also, it says 3 pt line is 22 feet, but my friends say it has been moved to 23. Which one is it?

ilya, how old are you and what level do you play? And, do you understand what we mean by,"a player can fumble, dribble, fumble, But, a player can not dribble, fumble, dribble"?

[This message has been edited by Bart Tyson (edited April 21, 2000).]

ilya, Todd is correct with his dimensions. Here is a link to the National Federation and NBA rules web site. NF is the dimensions for a High School court. There are some minor differences for collage but none you should be concerned about.
http://www.nfhs.org/rules-basketball.htm#diagram
http://www.nba.com/basics/rules/

I'm 14 and playing just outdoor, but everyday at school also. We have highschool dimensions at school.

And no, i don't understand what you mean by that http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif Why?

ilya, I had thought you might be young. If you play B-Ball, it can help your game to know the rules, so you know what you can and can't do. Most young kids don't understand this type of play. Learn what Fumble, dribble, fumble, and dribble, fumble, dribble mean. Continue to ask ?'s on this board to help your game. Good luck.

I know a lot of rules, already http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif
But what does fumble,drible,fumble,drible mean? http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif
Thanks for all your help!

Typically you'll see this when a player tries to receive a pass, he will not make a clean catch. He fumbles the ball trying to catch it, the ball hits his hands then the ball drops to the floor and he picks it up. However, this is not restricted to the player fumbling trying to catch the ball. He may catch the ball and for some reason while holding the ball all of sudden he fumbles the ball(judgement call be the official) and he picks it up. Even if the ball bounces several feet away he can go get it. So far everything above is the FUMBLE. Now he can dribble. He dribbles, then tries to pick up his dribble, touches the ball with both hands(does not gain possition) and fumbles the ball. Even if the ball bounces away he can go get it. This is fumble, dribble, fumble. All of the above is legal. Now, dribble, fumble, dribble(illegal). Just like the beginning he can fumble, dribble, fumble and gain possition. Now he fumbles again, if he is the first to touch the ball again, this is a violation. And so you have Dribble, fumble, dribble. Most of the time I see kids fumble the ball trying the catch a pass and think they can't dribble.

Oh, i knew that!
I just didn't understand what you were talking about first http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

Great, now ask ?'s on game situations that your not sure. We like to help you and ourselves.

Good to know this - a new one for me. I knew fumble dribble was ok, but not fumble dribble fumble. The former is sometimes missed in our games (I guess it is a judgment call, but sometimes ya gotta wonder if they know this one), but I always see the latter called a double dribble. I will look to see if I notice any of these second fumbles allowed. It is probably easier to go by the rule that a dribbling player has control and, after the dribble is established, any contact with the floor is a dribble.

Thanks for the help all you guys!
You have been extremely helpful!!
Now, i have a question.. We often play outside, and some of my friends call this a travel, others don't.
I have the ball. Dribble accross the baseline, do a spin, but instead of spinning on one leg, i step from one to another during the spin and then shoot. Is that really a travel? I think it's not, since it's just two steps, but i'm not sure.

Ever see this one Coach?

The ball gets dumped down to A1 on the post. A1 takes two dribbles. Picks up his/her dribble and while in the process loses control (fumbles). While the ball has not yet touched the floor. A1 picks up and returns to the floor what was their pivot foot. Before the ball ever touches the floor, A1 regains control and scores.

Everyone screams walk!

Dribble, Fumble, Recover. Legal.

Also, one more question. This happens almost every single game!
A1 shoots it, but airballs. He catches the ball. Some call travel, since he caught his own airball, but he says it's not, because it looked like a shot. Who's right??

In High School and College this is not a violation. I think in the NBA it is.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John B:
Ever see this one Coach?

The ball gets dumped down to A1 on the post. A1 takes two dribbles. Picks up his/her dribble and while in the process loses control (fumbles). While the ball has not yet touched the floor. A1 picks up and returns to the floor what was their pivot foot. Before the ball ever touches the floor, A1 regains control and scores.

Everyone screams walk!

Dribble, Fumble, Recover. Legal.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I may have seen both situations and not recognized them myself. I think that many refs would call the walk (or the DD in the case before), but what I may have thought were missed calls or "letting it go" may have been good no calls. I will be more alert to this in the future. You guys are great.

Ilya, You have to be more specific. Maybe this will help. Once you pick up the ball. You pivot on your right foot( Left foot is picked up to spin). You may put the left foot down and pick up the right foot and shoot BEFORE you put the right foot down. Whenever a player shoots(at his own basket) there is NO team control. So if airball any player can get the ball.

Hey Ilya

I think the travel rule is everywhere the same:
U have one pivot and one non pivot leg. You lift your pivot, you can eighter pass or shoot. The ball should not be in your possesion when that pivot foot reaches the floor again.
If you understand this travelling rule, u can determine for urself if it's a travel

Ok, thanks. I knew that rule, but sometimes it's hard to determine yourself http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif
Also, another question http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
When i shoot FT, is it illegal to go over FT line before the ball hits the rim?

hey ilya
I think that everywhere it's the same.
FIBA rules:
The shooter can not enter the "Three-second" area before the ball hits the rim.
When I ref, I try to determine why the shooter entered the area. If while shooting he accidentally steps across the line, no problem, I just let them play. But If the shooter figures that his shot might miss, and he tries to get the rebound before the ball hits the ring, then I call the violation. He is clearly trying to get an unfair advantage.

I wish there were more players taking their time to ask questions!! Keep it up, ilya. Some day you will be a fabulous player (who knows, you'll be joining us refs!! http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/smile.gif)

Hehe, thanks. I will try to be a starter at high school. I'm kind of short, though http://www.refereeforum.com/ubb/frown.gif only 5'4 right now (14 y.o)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rehuel:
When I ref, I try to determine why the shooter entered the area. If while shooting he accidentally steps across the line, no problem, I just let them play.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Rehuel,

Maybe for younger levels this approach is OK, but for the more skilled levels I'm not so sure. Whether he stepped across the line accidentally or purposely to gain an advantage, the advantage for the same degree of stepping across is still the same---therefore, violation. Now, if the player is only a centimeter over the line, I might choose to ignore it and remind him on the next throw, but otherwise we don't need to determine intent. I think this is one of those rules that is more "cut and dry" than some others: either he's over the line or he isn't.

[This message has been edited by Todd VandenAkker (edited April 28, 2000).]

Also 1st half, 2nd half. Maybe call closer the 1st half since their shooting at the opponents end.