Width of a backboard's top
 

Last Saturday, JV boys game in my hometown. (I block their varsity, but can work JV.) Two man crew. This was the last game in a sub-varsity set.

I'm the L. H-1's shot bounces high off the rim and touches the top of the backboard ... and stays there. I wait a bit, realize it's not coming down, and blow my whistle. Two seconds later, the ball drops in front of the backboard. (Great.)

I check with my partner, who agrees with me that the ball never hit a support or anything out of bounds. Held ball, we move on.

Meanwhile, about 12 feet behind the opposite endline, my 19-year-old son (former team manager, honorary emeritus status) is sitting with the varsity coach, his dad, and the A.D. This VIP section of sorts, when they were paying attention to the game, made it a point to have some fun of my expense. (I expect no less.)

On the drive home, my young Einstein goes on a mini-tirade about that play, insisting that the ball had to have hit something out of bounds, as it's "impossible" for the ball to rest for that length of time. I tell him I've seen balls come to rest on flanges (six inches wide), so it's not impossible. He retorts the backboard top can't be any more than two inches wide. I tell him, that can't be. Our banter causes us to realize we don't have a clue how thick a backboard actually is, nor the width of its top. There's likely no reason for such mandates. (I actually checked Rule 1. Couldn't find anything.)

This is hardly a serious rules issue, but a ball staying on the backboard's top --without touching a support -- is probably not unprecedented. Anyone have a similar anecdote to this?

Wow, I haven't seen anyone use the plural of the word "phalanx" for a couple of decades, though I think you meant "flanges". You must be adept at classical Greek and the epic tales of Xenophon.

This would be akin to the ball coming to rest on the flange of the rim, no (6-4-3d)? Thus, go to the arrow, if by some quirk of the laws of physics this did actually happen.

Bummer for you it came down on the front side. It did, anyway, allow for some precious "son railing on father" moments on the ride home.

I didn't know a backboard had fingers and toes.

No rule governing it that I could find.

As an example: 2 and 1/4" with its frame. made of 3/8" or 1/2" acrylic or tempered glass
Basketball Backboards - Indoor Use

That is one brand's dimensions. It may even be a defacto standard but I don't believe there is a rule dictating that thickness.

Even so, it doesn't take much of a flat surface to balance a ball if the ball lands there just right. I'd guess that even 1/2" might be enough if the ball is places there just right. 2+ inches is more than enough, obviously.

Perhaps they should make the top surface convex or slanted so as to always force the ball to roll off one way or the other.

Beautiful catch.

I actually thought the word started with "ph" (don't ask me why), but my browser's spellcheck wouldn't accept "phlanges" and suggested "phalanges." I thought it was odd, but I went with it.

Hadn't we talked about this in the past: there is no rule to support a held ball for a ball coming to rest on top of the backboard. FYI, that is what I would do though.

There is no rules support to anything in this situation. But there is rules support for what to do when an official blows his whistle when there is no end of quarter/half, violation, foul, held ball, or time-out request. We resume at POI. In this case, it's the AP arrow since there was no TC. Had this been a tipped pass that ended up on the top of the backboard, then Team A would retain possession.

This is what rule 2-3 is for, in my opinion. I would treat this the same as the ball which becomes lodged between the rim and the backboard.

I suggest letting the ball sit there with the clock running until the quarter ends.

What Are The Chances ???
 

More of a bummer if it came down on the front side and went though the basket.

Mr. No Overtime ...
 

Why is Mark Padgett posting under johnny d's name?