Tippy toes backcourt
 

Interesting play my crew had the other night. During a sideline inbound play A1 passed the ball to A2. A2 caught the ball and had both of the front of her shoes in the frontcourt just in front of the halfcourt line. She stayed on her tippy toes for a half-second and then placed her heels on the ground on the line.

What do you have???
My partner called a backcourt violation. My other partner disagreed with the call after the game. I am still not sure.

If she wasn't touching the backcourt (or the division line) while standing on her tippy-toes, then she had frontcourt status, and team control of the ball in the frontcourt after a thrown-in.

When her heels touched the division line, she now had backcourt status.

Thus, violation.

If the player was in the air when she caught the ball, and then landed with her toes in the FC, and then put the heels on the ground in the BC, it's legal, I think.

If she caught the ball while on the ground, then I agree it's a violation.

What was the reasoning for your other partner not thinking this was a violation?

If she's the first to touch the ball inbounds while airborne, she can make a normal landing anywhere regardless of FC/BC status. If she's on the ground when she catches the ball and no part of her is touching BC, then she and the ball have FC status. When she puts her heels on the line, she and the ball then have BC status and a violation occurs.

You are correct. Player is given leeway for normal landing actions.

i'm not going to require her to come down exactly flat footed etc…natural landing ok as others have said. but if, as in the play here, she hangs up on the toes in front court, (not natural) then puts heels down still a violation.

There is a case play (or interp) where the player lands on one foot, balances that way for a while, and then puts the second foot down in the BC. Ruling: Legal.

I think the same concept applies.

that has to be an interp. throw in back court exception in rule uses phrase "normal landing" . player who catches ball in air can make "normal landing" and doesn't matter which foot hits first where….

a normal landing can vary i suppose if another player is around but if player catches ball with one foot in front court and just lets one foot hang in air (because he is being abnormal)that is not normal landing. if he then puts the foot in the back court i am going to call the violation. same with the toes. i will give player every opportunity to make a normal landing but if he or she is on toes and stays there, as opposed to coming down normally, and then puts heels down, I'm going to call the violation.
because that's not normal...

It's possible I am mis-remembering the interp.

j51969,

My other partner disagreed with the call because he believed that she should be able to put her whole foot down due to the short length of time she was on her tippy toes.

9.9.1 SITUATION A:

A1 catches the throw-in pass with one foot on the floor in A's frontcourt and the other foot not touching the floor. The non-pivot foot then comes down in A's backcourt.

RULING: Violation. Player and team control are established in A's frontcourt when A1 catches the throw-in pass. The violation occurs when A1 subsequently touches the backcourt with the non-pivot foot. (4-12-6; 9-9-3)

Bob:

Per NFHS R9-S9-A3 and NFHS Casebook Play 9.9.1 Situation B(a) the play in the OP is a violation.


R9-S9-A3: During a jump ball, throw-in or while on defense, a player may legally jump from his/her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or backcourt.


Casebook Play 9.9.1 Situation B: During a jump ball, A1 taps the ball. A2 takes off from Team A's frontcourt and catches the ball while in the air. A2 lands with: (a) both feet in frontcourt and then steps to backcourt with one foot; (b) one foot in backcourt and one in the frontcourt; or (c) both feet in the backcourt.

RULING: Team control is not established until A2 catches the ball. Violation in (a). Legal in (b) and (c). (4-12-6; 9-9-3)


A2's landed with both feet in Team A's Front Court. Per rule, landing with both feet in the Front Court does not meet the exception that the rule describes.

MTD, Sr.

Then he should submit a rule change request to the Fed.

It is normal for a player to land on the toes followed by the heels. The question is how long are they allowed to complete the landing? I think if the player obviously made a conscious effort to stop on just the toes, and stayed there for a noticeable length of time, the landing is over.

The key is not whether the A2 landed on his toes or heels; the key is that A2 landed with both of his feet in Team A's Front Court. Therefore A2 committed a Backcourt Violation.

MTD, Sr.

The OP didn't say that A2 was in the air and then landed. You're also assuming that the jump (if there was one) started from the front court.

That makes the call even easier: Backcourt Violation.

MTD, Sr.

On an out-of-bounds play, you can't jump from your backcourt, catch the ball in the air and land on midcourt line with both feet?

Coach:

My post which your are quoting is in response to Bob Jenkins post which said that it would not be a BC Violation if A2 had caught the ball while in the air, and not to the OP.

MTD, Sr.

Why can't you land on the Division Line? There is not Mid-Court Line. In the Ancient Days there use to be a Mid-Court Area in the Front Court.

MTD, Sr.

With all due respect, this is what you wrote and what I quoted:

"Per NFHS R9-S9-A3 and NFHS Casebook Play 9.9.1 Situation B(a) the play in the OP is a violation."

The OP doesn't mention a jump or if there was one, where it originated.

If A2 does not jump, it's obviously a violation.

If A2 jumps, then it doesn't matter whether it originates from the FC or the BC.

Before The Frontcourt Got Circumcised ...
 

Misty water-colored memories. Frontcourt divided into a midcourt, and a forecourt. Closely guarded dribbler got a new count as he dribbled forward over the midcourt line, designated by a 28 foot hash mark, that we still see on some very old courts. It was legally possible for a closely guarded ball handler to possess the ball for sixteen seconds; holding, dribbling in the midcourt (dribble past the midcourt line), dribbling in the front court, and holding (four seconds each).

So, just to be clear, if you jump from the backcourt, secure the ball in the air, and land with both feet on the "division line", it's a violation? That doesn't make sense.

No. On a throw-in pass if the player leaps in the air he can land anywhere without violation. The only question in the OP is how long does a landing take? If he lands on his toes in the frontcourt, then sees the line and teeters there for a significant length of time before putting his heels down on the line would we call a violation? I'm gonna wait until that happens, then decide. But if he catches the pass in the air and lands on his toes first followed by his heels touching the line all in one smooth "natural" landing, I've got nothing.

Why is "division line" in quotes? That's the proper term.

And, if it's a throw-in (as the OP), or a pass from the BC, it's not a violation.

If it's a pass from the FC, then it's a violation before the player even lands.