Backcourt Violation? with Video
 

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No call correct

Good (no) call.

What is your opinion?

Good no call on backcourt.

Inunrelated news I think there is a travel on the catch.

If he'd picked that backcourt foot up sooner, it would have been since he lost the "three points" protection when he ended his dribble to pass. However, since I can't tell if he passed the ball before or after picking up his BC foot, I'm not calling it.

Only in slo-mo might there be a technical travel. The player catches the ball in the air and lands with the left foot first. He's clearly in the action of starting a dribble when the left foot leaves the ground -- very hard to tell whether the ball leaves his hand first.

In real time, it's a no call (almost) always.

Great call.
 

...if I do say so...

It is difficult from that angle to see if the third step starts before the ball is picked up though it looks that way from here but from my view it looks like he lands left-right- then goes and puts his left foot down again. Now if the ball is out of his hand before he lifts the left then obviously its good. IMO it looks like he's still holding the ball while he takes most of that/ if not all the third step.

That may just be a local application difference. We've been asked to be certain the ball is out the hand before the backfoot comes up, anything close in high level games we are expected to call the footwork. (And yes preseason high school and university games were a mess until coaches and players adjusted.)

Wish I had video of a similar no-call in a regional game here. I had no call, C had no-call, fans and coaches going nuts, one referee in stands said we missed it.

When I got the DVD...
 

... I knew just the play I wanted. I was completely confident in the accuracy, but knew it would be a good one to look at.

Guess I know your answer now...LOL

Great self-restraint/patient whistle. When I get those I start thinking, "Here comes the groan from the benches and the crowd...NOW!" :)

"I've Got Nothing" Signal?
 

Agree on the no-call. Had one not quite as goofy in a post-season tourney game last week that brought half the stands out of their seats to protest, but got the no-call right.
One item in particular I was interested to see in the video was the unofficial spread-arms signal used by the official. I don't think the official meant it as the standard "not closely guarded" signal. That, to me anyway, clearly conveyed the message, "I saw what just happened but I've got nothing." Seems to be like what soccer has with their "play on" signal.
I like that and wouldn't mind seeing it or something similar become a standard signal.

Wouldn't you want to apply the opposing philosophy? Don't call a travel unless you are certain that the pivot foot was lifted before he released the ball.

Are you in Canada? Canada Basketball's memo last year to tighten up on travelling was taken to extraordinary lenghts by some officials. I still only want to calll travels when I'm certain. If I'm guessing, i'm guessing it's legal.

The only time we're allowed to use that signal is for 60-second time outs.

The philosophy here is, if there's no need for a count, there's no need for a spead-arms signal. Just don't signal. See also violation. If there's no violation, there's no need to signal anything.

As for "play on" in soccer, that signal actually acknowledges there was a foul, but to whistle it would kill any advantage the offense already has. "Play on" doesn't mean "there was no foul."

I've pointed to the floor where a player coming from the BC has landed just before catching a pass from the FC. This is to indicate that the landing happened first.

I support the additional information.

I think that signal was completely instintual -- probably in reaction to/in anticipation of noise from the bench wanting a violation called. It clearly conveyed the message that the ref had it the whole way and (correctly) had no call.

As far as making this signal standard, I don't think you can do that. Technically speaking, the official has to be able to continue the 10 second count should the player catching the ball remain in the backcourt.

It's not standard, but it's similar to the "safe" signal in baseball or softball in a weird case where your signal is merely conveying "I saw that, and it's nothing".

Exactly
 

I could see the other point of view (don't use the mechanic), but it seemed the best way to communicate to all at the time.

I agree...no call. The passer was still in the backcourt when the ball was passed.

The "not closely guarded signal" is an official signal, it was added to the official signals this year. Number 12 on the signal chart of the rule book.

Regarding floor point .... Yup

No Blind Jokes, Please ...
 

The "not closely guarded" signal was removed from the IAABO mechanics manual at the beginning of the 2012-13 season. I guess they figure that if you're not counting, you don't have a closely guarded count. Stupid IAABO mechanics. What was wrong with the NFHS mechanics that we were using for many, many years?

Had a play identical to this earlier in the season. It was close, but the kid's foot was still in the backcourt. The coach and crowed howled, but there was nothing to call!

I don't use it all the time. However in some situations I will. For example if it is a close tight game and there is a lot of ball pressure I will use it to make sure that all coaches know they aren't closely guarded.

momentary brain freeze
 

Altering the video sitch a hair, what if the player HAD BOTH feet in the frontcourt but had yet to get the ball across and then shovel passed it off his dribble to his teammate still in backcourt? I realize if player picks up his dribble he has front court status and this play would be a violation, but would there need to be clear end of dribble and player control to give ball front court status?

If it was still a dribble, then you'd need all three points. Since he clearly ened his dribble and then passed the ball, your (changed) description would result in a violation.