Travel or Not
 

A1 jumps for a rebound, catches ball off the ground. Lands on both feet. Jumps to shoot and realizes he is to far under the goal to shoot. Throws ball to the ground, returns to floor and dribbles. Partner calls travel. I think it is right according to 4.44.3. Any other thoughts? Coach said he could do this.

Coach is full of it. You cannot lift the pivot foot before starting a dribble. The rules do not permit a player to circumvent this by jumping before establishing a pivot foot.

No other thoughts needed, other than the coach was wrong. If you leave your feet holding a live ball inbounds the menu is pretty short: pass it or shoot it before you come down.

Or, request a timeout. :)

I had the exact same play happen last week (except the player jumped around the free throw line) and the same reaction from offending players coach?! I sort of laughed when he initially questioned because I thought he was joking, then I realized he really thought it was legal. Seemed like a simple rule a V head coach should know but I explained it to him in a non-laughing manner.

I thought it was a no brainer also. I kind of chuckled when the coach said that. Told him no it's a travel. He told me later he was going to have to look it up. I said it's under the traveling section of the case book.

4.44.3 b

Yea. It's in the opening post.

Don't hold your breath waiting for him to 1) actually look it up and 2) admit he was wrong.

I'm still waiting on an email from a coach showing me the rule that says a defender can't slap the backboard while the ball is "on the rim."

"Has to be a technical foul, well then it has to be basket interference" is what a coach told me when this happened earlier this year.

The more I think about this, the more I think this is a case of the coach knowing too much of the wording of the rules. He thinks he has found a loophole since the player hasn't established a pivot foot; not knowing the case play specifically closes that loophole.

Or, he complains about every single call that goes against him.

He calls for a timeout to get "an explanation." We talked for about 20 of his 60 seconds, and the conversation went like this.

"He can't hit the backboard when the ball is on the rim."

"Yes, he can since he was trying to block the shot."

"Not when the ball is on the rim."

"That doesn't matter."

"Show me in the rules where it says he can do that."

"You'll have to show me where it says he can't."

"Ok, I'll do that."

"Don't do it here, though."

"No, of course not."

Still Waiting ???