backcourt or play on?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

The Monday Night Football game is boring and it is getting late so I will attempt to make this short, but anybody who bets on the over will win the Over and Under Bet.

This school year will be my 42nd year officiating basketball and the ruling that I will give has been the same for 42 years and longer.

Play 1: A1 is holding the ball while standing in Team A's Frontcourt. A1 releases the ball on a pass to A2, who is also standing in Team A's Frontcourt. B1, who is in contact with the playing surface of Team A's Frontcourt bats the pass such that the ball is deflected toward Team A's Backcourt. A1 runs into Team A's Backcourt and catches the Ball while it is still in the air and before it touches the playing surface of Team A's Backcourt. Ruling 1: Backcourt Violation by Team A.

Play 2: A1 is holding the ball while standing in Team A's Backcourt. A1 releases the ball on a pass to A2, who is also standing in Team A's Frontcourt. B1, who is in contact with the playing surface of Team A's Frontcourt bats the pass such that the ball is deflected toward Team A's Backcourt. A1, while still standing in Team A's Backcourt and catches the Ball while it is still in the air and before it touches the playing surface of Team A's Backcourt. Ruling 2: Backcourt Violation by Team A.

Why is the Ruling in both Plays a Backcourt Violation?

Play 1: Team A had control of the ball in it's Frontcourt and even though B1 bats the Ball, Team A still has control of the ball and the Ball still has Frontcourt status. When A1, while standing in his team's Backcourt touched the ball, he simultaneously: (a) caused the Ball to go from Team A's Frontcourt to its Backcourt and (b) was the first player to touch the Ball after making it the Ball to go from his team's Frontcourt to his team's Backcourt.

Play 2: A1 causes the Ball to gain Frontcourt status when his pass is batted by B1. Therefore Team A has control of the ball in it's Frontcourt and even though B1 bats the Ball, Team A still has control of the ball and the Ball still has Frontcourt status. When A1, while standing in his team's Backcourt touched the ball, he simultaneously: (a) caused the Ball to go from Team A's Frontcourt to its Backcourt and (b) was the first player to touch the Ball after making it the Ball to go from his team's Frontcourt to his team's Backcourt.

The key to these Rulings is the word: simultaneously. This word has been the linchpin of this interpretation for over 45 years, by the NBCUSC, NFHS, and NCAA.

It is late and I am going to go to bed now. Good night all and sleep tight.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. (1) How do I know this, because even though I am getting old (meaning I am not going to climb up into the attic) and senile (according to Mark, Jr., and Andy) I know that this has always (with apologies to the late J. Dallas Shirely) been the official ruling from the NBCUS, NFHS, and NCAA all those years ago. (2) NBCUSC: National Basketball Committee of the United States and Canada, the predecessor orgainzation for the NFHS and the NCAA Rules Committees and its rulings still apply to NFHS and NCAA rules unless the a rule has subsequently changed to affect the NBCUSC ruling (I hope that made sense because it is getting on towards 11:30pmEDT as I write this post).