It's a bit fuzzy as far as how long is too late, but going back and calling a BC violation after the player has dribbled half the length of the court and scored is universally considered "too late."

A good rule of thumb (but not exhaustive), I suppose, is that you can't go back and call it after the ball has become dead for another reason.

Here, the ball is dead when the player scores.

Likewise, if the player had dribbled and a defender (for some reason) had gone down and fouled him (or knocked the ball OOB) instead, you could not go back and get the BC violation.

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

I was the L in this situation and agree I should've have just called it once it was clear my partner wasn't putting it together.

I happened to be tableside, too, so it was me who was left with the Team A bench asking, "Isn't that a backcourt violation?" to which the short answer is an unfortunate "Yes, but it's too late."

This wasn't, however, a case of me trying to screw my partner or have him look stupid (though I did find myself agreeing with the posts about partners who deserve/have earned that). He's a good friend and good official who was just back from camp and talking about how they hammered home "If it's not in your area, just trust your partner and let it go."

Clearly this one does not fall under that umbrella, though. I could've saved us both some mess by just dialing that one in from distance.

I had a wrong basket scenario this winter. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective), there was no BC violation to miss.

MS Boys, final game of the season, less than 2 minutes to go in the game. Team A gets confused in its back court somehow after an inbounds and immediately shoots at the wrong basket. :eek: It took me by surprise, but I finally realize what's going on and start a 10-second count (and I'm hoping and praying I get to 10 before someone scores into the wrong basket).

After another Team A missed shot at the wrong basket, the rebound somehow manages to bounce untouched over the half court line and Team B recovers it. Since there's no team control until someone secures the rebound, there's no BC violation, and Team B now has the ball in its own back court. The Team B player then drives for an uncontested layup... into the wrong basket, much to the chagrin of his coach. :D I end up whistling play dead, reporting a basket for team A to the table, and send Team B on its way in the proper direction.

In different game, a MS girls coach yelled at me for calling a BC violation on an opposing player for going the wrong direction. She wanted me to let the player keep going until she scored in the wrong basket. I just shook my head :rolleyes: and thought to myself, Coach, you're getting the ball back, what are you complaining about?

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That said, barring a situation where I had a partner who was absolutely adamant about staying in one's primary, I'd call the BC violation on this as the Lead after giving the Trail a chance to call it. I'd have no problem calling this in case my partner was so surprised by what's happening that he or she has a brain fart about the BC violation associated with going the wrong way across half court.

Game, partner, self...

Make the call

There is a YouTube video that keeps coming back over and over again that proves #2.

If your partner misses this as a violation, then wouldn't he probably is think he is the new Lead and it's your half court line to call anyway as the "new Trail".

If I'm lead and the player starts dribbling wrong direction across the half court line, I'm whistling this dead once it's clear my partner is confused and not calling it.