Team Control Rule

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Adam

Right, but that's not the problem. The problem is:

TC established: check, as soon as the throw in starts
FC established: check, as soon as A2 tips the ball (standing in the FC)
Last to touch in the FC before it goes into the BC: Check, A2's tip.
First to touch after it goes into the BC: Check, when A3 retrieves ball in BC.

By rule, this is a violation. By repeated expressed intent, it is not.

Sorry I ignored some of the elements in my previous answer. Let’s try this:

4-12-2d
A team is in control of the ball when a player of the team has disposal of the ball for a throw-in.

4-42-5a
The throw-in ends when the passed ball touches or is legally touched by another player inbounds.

So when the ball is touched by A2 on the throw-in, the throw-in is over. If A2 didn’t gain control of the ball there’s no team control for the purpose of calling violations so if the ball rolls into the backcourt and A3 picks it up the play is legal. The TC rule on the throw-in only covers penalties applied to fouls.

I found this on the web from the NFHS’s 2011-12 rule interpretations. The scenario is slightly different but the essence is the same:

SITUATION 5: A1 has the ball for an end-line throw-in in his/her frontcourt. A1’s pass to A2, who is in the frontcourt standing near the division line, is high and deflects off A2’s hand and goes into Team A’s backcourt. A2 is then the first to control the ball in Team A’s backcourt. RULING: Legal. There is no backcourt violation since player and team control had not yet been established in Team A’s frontcourt before the ball went into Team A’s backcourt. The throw-in ends when A2 legally touches the ball, but the backcourt count does not start until A2 gains control in his/her backcourt. (4-12-2d; 9-9)