Travel?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by The_Rookie

Need some help clarifying this ruling (Logic behind it)..Thanks


Player A-4, on the wing, catches a pass from teammate A-5 and is about to continue moving the ball back up top to teammate A-1. Just as he's about to throw the pass, he spots a defender jumping into his passing lane and rather weakly lets the pass go...... A-4 then runs forward several paces and catches his own pass. The coach of Team B jumps up, shouting "He can't receive his own pass!!" Was the coach right? Should the official have called a violation??



ANSWER - No. On this play, the coach was wrong and the official should have held his whistle. Even though we can all agree it looked like a pass, that is not the issue here. The only thing A-4 really did was to start a dribble. Once the ball hit the floor, it's no different than the start of any other dribble and A-4 is allowed to catch the ball to end his dribble. But, let's take it one step further......suppose A-4 first jumped into the air and then released the pass, rather weakly as above, and then ran it down (caught it, as above). In this case, the coach would be correct. The official would call a violation (traveling) because once a player's pivot foot leaves the floor while he is in control of the ball, the ONLY thing he can do is to shoot or pass. He cannot start a dribble after that pivot foot leaves the floor

I dont' see anything in the play that indicates the "pass" touched the floor -- it is listed in the answer.

If the ball didn't hit the floor the coach would be (generally, if not technically) correct.

[Nevadaref]

I believe that he is simply posting a question and answer from a practice test. I think that he is looking for someone to explain it further to him.

He just needs to read the definitions of pass and dribble in the rules book.
If he gets a better understanding of what action counts as a dribble, then he will understand why the play is legal, if the ball is allowed to strike the floor.

Also, this play is straight from the old NFHS interps.
2003-04 NFHS BASKETBALL RULES INTERPRETATIONS

SITUATION 6: A1 jumps from the floor and secures a defensive re-bound. A1 then pivots toward the sideline where a teammate, A2, is standing for an outlet pass. Just as A1 releases the pass, A2 turns and runs down the court. A1 throws a soft bounce pass to where A2 was standing. A1 then moves and secures the ball without dribbling. RULING: Legal action. A1 had the pivot foot on the floor and began a dribble by throwing the ball to the floor (the bounce pass); the dribble ended when A1 secured the ball. Upon reaching the ball, A1 also could have continued the dribble. (4-15-3,4)