Backcourt ruling?
 

I cannot find the ruling in the book or a scenario of any similar plays that would help me clarifies whether this is backcourt or not.

A1 is dribbling in his/her frontcourt. A1 then passes the ball which gets deflected by B1 into the air and crosses the midcourt line but before the ball touches the floor A1 runs to the backcourt and catches the ball before it hits the floor. Is this backcourt or not?

The trail official gives the new tip mechanic to let everyone know that the ball is fair game to either player.

I say its backcourt but my partner said no because it was tipped by the defensive player.
If this is a backcourt violation can you please give me a reference that supports the ruling.

In order for it to be a violation it has to be last touched by the offense in the FC and first touched by the offense in BC, in spite of a recent interp to the contrary. This was not the case in your play.

My understanding is that the ball is still in front court status since it did not touch the floor. Once A1 catches the ball, he is now the first and last person to touch it therefore, its backcourt.

Who was the last to touch the ball in the FC? The defense. A player cannot be FC and BC at the same time.

You just have to ask yourself two questions...

1. Who, the offense or defense, was the last to touch the ball in the FC?

2. Who, the offense or defense, was the first to touch the ball in the BC?

If the answer to both of those questions is the offense, then you have yourself a violation. If not... play on.

All of you are making the same error.

The rule is not who is the last to touch the ball IN the frontcourt but who was the last to touch the ball BEFORE it gained backcourt status (not when it gained backcourt status).

Likewise, it is about who is the first to touch the ball AFTER it gains backcourt status, not who is the first to touch the ball IN the backcourt.

Much of the time, it it the same thing, but not always....and the difference matters. Plus, the difference is why the above play is not a violation.

Could you explain a play in which the wording changes the result of the play? I ask because I have a violation in this scenario as well, but understand that my wording for having a violation is incorrect.

And it's late, so my brain has already shut off for the evening.

A1, in the frontcourt, near the division line, throws a bounce pass across the court such that the ball bounces in the backcourt very near the division line and then bounces in the frontcourt. A2, in the frontcourt, also near the division line, catches the ball. Neither player was ever in the backcourt, the ball was in the frontcourt at the time each player touched it. Yet, it is a violation.

Reverse the positions such that the players are both in the backcourt and the pass bounces in the frontcourt. Also a violation even though neither player was ever in the frontcourt.

Based on everyone's feedback I guess everyone agree that it's not a back court violation then.

So here is another scenario...A1 is dribbling toward its front court and just before A1 reach mid-court he attempt to pass the ball to A2 who is in the front court. Unfortunately, the ball does not make it to A2 because B1 bats the ball back to A1 in the back court. During the passing and batting, the ball never touches the floor. Soon as B1 touch the ball would the ball status be consider having front court status now?

Would this be a back court violation once A1 catch the batted ball from B1?

FC status. Yes (which means the 10-count is over).

Violation, No, since B1 was the last to touch the ball BEFORE it gained backourt status....and the 10-count would start again.

By rule, the original post is a backcourt violation.

2007-2008 rules interp ...
SITUATION 10: A1, in the team's frontcourt, passes to A2, also in the team's frontcourt. B1 deflects the ball toward Team A's backcourt. The ball bounces only in Team A's frontcourt before crossing the division line. While the ball is still in the air over Team A's backcourt, but never having touched in Team A's backcourt, A2 gains possession of the ball while standing in Team A's backcourt. RULING: Backcourt violation on Team A. Team A was still in team control and caused the ball to have backcourt status. Had A2 permitted the ball to bounce in the backcourt after having been deflected by B1, there would have been no backcourt violation. (4-4-1; 4-4-3; 9-9-1)

By rule? No, it's not. By interp, it is. The interp actually flies against the rule, though (as opposed to working to clarify an otherwise ambiguous rule).

The rule requirements for a backcourt violation include being the last to touch the ball "before" it went into the BC and then being the first to touch the ball after it went into the BC. The same event cannot be both before and after a separate event.

I have a violation. The ball never gained backcourt status. It was caught in the backcourt before it touced the ground (court). In essence, A took the ball into the backcourt.

Look at it this way, if B1 had tapped the ball away from A1 toward the sideline and A1 ran OOB and caught the ball while standing OOB would you let play continue?

The rules are not the same. It is a violation to cause the ball to gain OOB status. It is not a violation to cause the ball to gain BC status.

What Camron said, plus the play from the case book where A1 in the BC throws the ball that hits the official in the FC. The ball caroms to the BC where A1 recovers. Violation.