Backcourt Violation - Explanation, please

[Squeekz]

Hi all, I'm a parent and the scorekeeper for my daughter's basketball team and slowly trying to understand more basketball rules.
Could someone explain how a backcourt violation can occur?
I believe I had been given an explanation that 3 things must occur to have backcourt: you had to start in the frontcourt, then both feet, and the ball all had to go backcourt for a violation to occur.

If the ball stays in the frontcourt and both feet take steps in the backcourt, is that a violation?

If the feet stay in the frontcourt, but the player would bounce the ball in the backcourt, is that a violation?

Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[BigJoe]

Squeekz,

You have the concept but you have the courts mixed up. You need to have both feet and the ball across the division line to establish front court position. If either foot or the ball touches the backcourt and is first touched by an offensive player it is a violation. See rule 9-9. If you don't have a rule book perhaps you could borrow one from a coach or official.
So in your post, both would be violations provided front court status was established.

[Marty Rogers]

I'll give this one a try:
You are getting mixed info regarding if the team has FC or BC status (frontcourt or backcourt).

Team A has FC status. The ball is already in the FC, being passed around, dribbled, among A players. If anyone from A touches the division line, or goes over it, while touching the ball, it is a BC violation. The division line is entirely in the BC. A needs only to have a heel or toe or ball touch the line. However, if B tips the ball last (in A's FC), then A can touch the ball with no violation.

Now, let's say B rebounds the ball and is heading toward their end. B dribbles up their BC. B will not get FC status until the dribbler has both feet and the ball over the division line. B can actually straddle the line and dribble in the BC with no violation because he has not gotten FC status yet (until all three occur).

Another thing to consider is if B is receiving a pass from his BC rebounder and he is at the division line. He will not get FC status until both feet and the ball cross, except if he catches the ball on one foot in the FC and the other foot in the air, he has FC status. A step back (with the non-pivot foot) into BC will be a violation.

And also, you muct consider throw-ins. A team must gain CONTROL of the ball after a throw-in before they are able to commit a BC violation. So, if A1 throws-in the ball in his FC, and A2 tips it into the BC, then team A can still touch the ball without violating (there was no control). Also, team A with a throw-in in their FC can throw the ball to a player in the BC legally.

One other situation. If team A is heading into their FC (say on a fastbreak) and A1 is in FC and he decides to pass it back to A2 who is running from BC, then A2 must have FC status before he receives the ball. If A2 jumps from his BC and catches (or touches) the pass while airborne, he has a BC violation. His status was where he was last touching the floor.

Hope this helps. There are more the BC violations than meets the eye!

[BktBallRef]

For a BC violation to occur, 4 criteria must be met.

1- Team A must have team control:
a- In rules lingo, Team A is always the team with the ball.
b- To establish team control, a player must be holding or dribbling the ball inbounds.

2- The ball must attain FC status:
a- This means the ball must touch something, anything in the FC.
b- It is not necessary for Team A to touch the ball in the FC, for FC status to be established.

3- Team A must be the last to touch the ball before it goes into the BC.
a- Again, this does not mean that A has to touch the ball in the BC.
b- If A1 is standing in the BC, passes the ball, hits an official in the FC, and bounces back into the BC, it would be a violation if A1 touches the ball.

4- Team A must be the first to touch the ball after it has been in the BC.
a- This does not mean that A has to touch the ball in the BC.
b- If A1 is standing in the FC, bounce passes the ball to A2 and the ball hits the division line, it would be a violation when A2 touches the ball.


If all 4 criteria aren't met, no violation.

Pretty simple, huh?

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
2- The ball must attain FC status:
a- This means the ball must touch something, anything in the FC.
b- It is not necessary for Team A to touch the ball in the FC, for FC status to be established.

Except on a dribble across the division line from the BC into the FC. Then ball doesn't attain FC status until all three "points" (both feet and the ball) touch in the front'court in order. Remember, this only applies ON A DRIBBLE FROM BACKCOURT TO FRONTCOURT.