"I Can't Touch It!"
 

Boys 5-6 tourney this weekend, NFHS rule set.

A-1 attempts a strange pass that gets away from him, and goes toward the sideline. A-2, the intended recipient, just sort of stands there, looking at A-1, who's closer to the ball, and gives A-1 a look that says, "you're closer. You get it."

A-1 is the last one to touch it, and has used his dribble. He yells back, "I can't touch it!" The ball goes out of bounds for the turnover.

There's a pang of doubt in my mind somewhere that, under NFHS rules, A-1 could have touched it, if had chosen so. I can't cite the rule, though. Thoughts?

Since he has used his dribble had he touched the "pass" it would have been an illegal dribble violation.

I'm impressed the kid knew the rule.

For good reason. ;)

That explains my pang of doubt. Had he not used his dribble, would I have considered the pass, ball hitting the floor, and recovery, as a dribble?

Yes. The NFHS issued an interp on this exact play about five years ago. It is in the "past interpose archive" on this forum. Do a search.

My only question is, did he:

1. Throw the pass and it just went to the wrong spot?
2. Try to pull the pass back in before he released it, but failed and fumbled it away?

A fumble?