if the ball hits the top of the backboard, is it out of bounds? please settle this argument.

No. The ball is not out of bounds if it touches the top of the backboard. However, if it goes over a rectangular backboard or touches any of the support structure, then it is out of bounds

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Barry C. Morris:
...if it goes over a rectangular backboard. . . then it is out of bounds<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Barry is right on target. It doesn't matter from which direction (front to back or back to front) the ball goes over the backboard, and the ball does not have to contact anything (including the top of the board) when it goes over the backboard for it to be out of bounds. A ball touching the top of the backboard or even rolling along the top of the backboard is NOT out of bounds. When the ball gets up on top of the backboard, have a patient whistle and just see which way it goes. If it goes to the other side of the board or if it hits any of the support structures, blow the violation and award the ball to the team that had not last touched the ball.

Mathmatics my boy. Show me the top of a fan backboard. There is only a theoretical one. Or for that matter, where the top begins and the sides end.

Hi!

OK - the ruling is bang on. But ... can anyone tell me why a rectangular backboard is treated differently than the round backboard?? This always seemd odd to me.

Cheers,
David