Does the ball go to the defense, or the defense?? Need to settle a bet.
 

GJrHi game, I was lead and handed the ball off to an inbouder, stepped away and started a count. She slaps the ball and yells "GO", knocking the ball out of her own hand, bounces off the top of her foot and lands in bounds, where a defensive player recovers.
I let play go on, but my partner blew it dead, thinking that we had a bad hand off and the girl fumbled.
We gather and I explained what happened. He says "it cannot bounce out of bounds before it bounces in bounds, it is the defense ball." I say, it did not bounce out of bounds, it bounced off her foot and directly in bounds.
Still defenses ball. But Who was right?

You were right, check out Billy's Most Misunderstood Rules:
"
A player inbounding the ball may step on, but not over the line. During a designated spot throwin, the player inbounding the ball must keep one foot on or over the three-foot wide designated spot. An inbounding player is allowed to jump or move one or both feet. A player inbounding the ball may move backward as far as the five-second time limit or space allows. If player moves outside the three-foot wide designated spot it is a throwin violation, not traveling. In gymnasiums with limited space outside the sidelines and endlines, a defensive player may be asked to step back no more than three feet. A player inbounding the ball may “dribble” the ball on the out-of-bounds area prior to making a throwin. After a goal, or awarded goal, the team not credited with the score shall make the throw-in from any point outside the end line. A team retains this “run the endline” privilege if a timeout is called during the dead ball period after the goal. Any player of the team may make a direct throw-in, or may pass the ball along the end line to a teammate outside the boundary line.

9-2-2 makes you right too. Basically throwin needs to be passed directly onto the court.

Then, of course, there's the question "Why the heck was your partner watching a throw-in on your line?"

1. I would not call something like this directly in front of a partner because I wouldn't be looking there.
2. Based upon your description, there was an inadvertent whistle. Possession should be awarded to whichever team had control. That would be the throwing team if no player had yet gained control inbounds.

Silly Rabbit ...
 

How else could he call a five second throw in violation if the lead is not watching the throwin on his partner's line?